


STAR TREK  -  Tomorrow  Never  Knows

by Jai



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2018-10-13 00:34:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10502748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jai/pseuds/Jai
Summary: a STAR TREK (Kelvin Timeline) feature film screenplay, which I started after INTO DARKNESS was released and long before BEYOND  (which I ignore - - not from any dislike - - but simply because it doesn't fit in here).  This screenplay ultimately provided the ideas  which I have partly  based my serialized STAR TREK (Kelvin) novel, BEYOND FOREVER upon.When a Klingon fleet destroys the planet Organia, and its advanced peacekeepers, Captain James T. Kirk is tasked by an old adversary to take the Enterprise on a daring secret mission into the heart of enemy space in order to bring a war between Federation and Empire to a quick end,  a war that has already broken out when Starfleet dispatches a retaliation force to stand against an attack wave of Klingoni K't'inga class warships that has crossed the DMZ and overwhelms Starbases and member planets, on course for New Vulcan, Alpha Centauri, and Earth....





	1. Sigma Iotia II  (installment titles akin to DVD/Blu chapters)

**Author's Note:**

> If you are reading my serialized Kelvinverse novel, STAR TREK BEYOND FOREVER, you'll be pleased to know that the next chapter, "The Cocktail Party," a transitional piece between Part One and the upcoming, very different, Part Two, will be posted here in a matter of a couple of weeks, possibly even one week (sorry for the long delay).
> 
> In the meantime, I'm publishing here, the opening of a half-finished screenplay that I wrote as a kind of sequel to INTO DARKNESS after being positively overwhelmed by that divisive, genuinely great film. Ultimately, I felt I'd taken the wrong turn in the script's story and finding myself pulled to other projects, it remains incomplete. It did, however, lay down many ideas I would later write as long form prose in BEYOND FOREVER, particularly the difficult but fulfilling adult romance between Jim Kirk and Carol Marcus (who is, as in BF, very much a part of the Enterprise crew and family).
> 
> Unfortunately, my attempts to move the screenplay as properly written onto this site failed; therefore what you read here is NOT in standard screenplay format, though I've made a few attempts to correct that where possible. (In case it's of interest, I am, professionally, a filmmaker (a writer-director-reluctant producer) with a more lucrative (and generally anonymous) sideline of being a hired gun-screenwriter.)
> 
> If there's enough interest, I will post the rest in 10 page (approx.) installments.

STAR TREK  TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS   
(based upon “Star Trek,” created by Gene Roddenberry, reconceived by Bad Robot Productions; First Draft written by J.D. — November 09, 2013, iffltd.com)

MUSIC MIXES UP AGAINST AN EERIE ELECTRONIC PING…

KIRK (V.O);  Kirk to Enterprise… Kirk to Enterprise… Come in Enterprise…

His VOICE gets LOST, GARBLED amidst STAR NOISE…

 

FADE IN:

STREAKS OF LIGHT AGAINST BLACK that RESOLVE INTO a  
SWEEPING CITYSCAPE

Part futuristic metropolis, part throwback to Chicago or New York of the late 1920s…

KIRK (V.O):  Life’s a gamble.  And the deck is usually stacked against us.

CUT TO:  
A MAN’S HANDS

Shuffling a strange deck of cards, single-handed… struggles with it…

KIRK (V.O.):  I used to believe the only way to win is cheat.  And lay ‘em down before I’m beat.  Command teaches you something different.

We HEAR a run along PIANO KEYS… a WOMAN”s VOICE SINGING scales…

CUT TO:  
ANOTHER MAN’S HANDS

Skillfully tinkling assured jazz from the ivories…

KIRK (V.O.):  When I was thirteen, my mother sent me to live with her dad on Tarsus Four.  I always thought I survived the genocide there out of dumb luck, a gamble…

WOMAN’S FOREFINGER  
Taps an old-fashioned microphone— SCREECH of FEEDBACK… her lips ENTER FRAME and she SINGS to the piano, the ’30s standard, “Good Night, Sweetheart.”

SWEEPING CITYSCAPE  
ANGLING toward a TENEMENT BUILDING as the woman SINGS…

KIRK (V.O.):  Looking back, I always kidded myself that luck is always on my side.

CUT TO:  
CARD HANDS

His control of the deck, more assured… “Good night, sweetheart, til we meet tomorrow, Good night, sweetheart, sleep will vanish sorrow…”

KIRK (V.O):  Grandpa wasn’t so lucky.  I thought he just made the worst choice for himself and wound up in a hole in the ground with a few thousand other dumb bastards.

CUT TO:  
PIANO HANDS

Works the keys as the woman SINGS....

“Good night, sweetheart, though I’m not beside you…”

KIRK (V.O):  Commanding a ship of the line, Starfleet’s flagship, sending men and women into harm’s way, I understand better the cheat my grandpa, Jim, made. Only it was no cheat.  It was something he told me the old time astronauts used to say.  But he liked to say it , too…

 

SWEEPING CITYSCAPE  
CLOSING ON the light in a window of the tenement… 

“Good night, sweetheart,  Dreams will still unfold you…”

KIRK (V.O.):  Sometimes there’s a pooch that can’t be screwed.

SUPER:  Against the tenement, CLASS M PLANET SIGMA IOTIA II, STARDATE 2262.09

IN THE TENEMENT  
JIM KIRK, in 1920s work clothes masters the one handed shuffle with a proud grin…

“Good night, sweetheart… Goodnight…”

There’s a JANGLE of keys outside the door— and the cards go FLYING!  Kirk grabs his phaser— thinks better of it— pulls an old time pistol— ducks behind the door… and yanks his gun at

CAROL MARCUS  
as she ENTERS, lovely but dressed plain.  She drops a paper bag of groceries, freaked by his drop on her…

CAROL:  Jim!  Uh, Captain!?  What the hell?!

He pulls the gun away, slams the door shut—

KIRK:  Sorry, Carol!  Sorry!  But we can’t play it too safe.  Not after last week.  I’m not about to let Oxmyx put the bag on you again.

CAROL:  How very gallant.

She bends down, gathers the groceries.  Kirk joins her.

CAROL:  But I don’t blame you,  I didn’t sign aboard your ship to spend my time bound and gagged in an ancient warehouse as a bartering chip for a thug.  Any word from Mister Scott?

Kirk holds up some leafy greens.

KIRK:  Why does it always have to be vegetables?  Three weeks and nothing but lettuce and carrots.

CAROL:  They’re good for you. 

KIRK:  Who are you, my mother? 

CAROL: I remembered your cold cuts and hard roll.  Now answer me straight for once.  Did you hear from the Enterprise?  I’m… concerned.

KIRK: It’s happening tonight.  And there’s an emergency out there.  Something about Organia.

He stands over her.  She matches him, sweeps up some of the playing cards, displays a weird-looking Jack…

CAROL:  One more game with Oxmyx first?

KIRK:  You know me, Doctor Marcus…

CAROL:  You always have a trick up your sleeve.

Off his smart-aleck grin… her reluctant smile.  She laughs lightly as he pulls her close with a deep kiss.  The cards go FLYING again…

 

EXT.  CITY STREET - TEPPO’S BAR (SIGMA IOTIA II) -  NIGHT

Jammed with funky old autos RAMMING each other with drunken abandon…

DR. LEONARD MCCOY, BONES, climbs out of a taxi in a zoot suit, a FLOOZIE on each arm.

BONES:  Ladies, drinks’re on me.  It’s Red Hour somewhere, I figger.

FLOOZIE #1:  Y’ever get what he’s jawin’ ‘bout?

Floozie #2 shrugs.

FLOOZIE #2:  He’s Bela’s new sawbones.  What’s not to love?  Money talks.

BONES:  Y’all got that right, honey pie.

They head into

 

INT.  TEPPO’S BAR (SIGMA IOTIA II)  -  NIGHT

A busy high-end joint.  A lotta booze.  No Volstead on this parallel world.

Commander SPOCK, in a tux, plays piano… 

Lieutenant UHURA, in a slinky dress, is on stage singing “Midnight, the Stars and You,” nods at Spock then over at

ON BONES

McCoy at the bar, WHOOPIN’ IT UP with the floozies and knockin’ back Sigma Iotia’s brand of bourbon.

Spock frowns…

BONES:  It’s like my wife Dorothy said about me.  Lennie, she said, you’ll be the death of me.

FLOOZIE #1:  Murdered your wife, huh?

BONES:  Only with a surfeit of good intentions.

FLOOZIE #2:  Oh, Surfeit!  I love that perfume!

Two SHADOWY MEN IN SUITS appear on either side of Bones.

MAN #1: Doctor McCoy, your voice is carrying.

MAN #2:  You may not vant to be discussing dis in… uh, public?

Bones turns to find

Lieutenant SULU and Ensign CHEKOV on either side of him looking like extras out of a John Garfield movie.  Bones winks at ‘em.

BONES;  Relax, good sirs.  I took a Ferengi sobriety pill.  These Iotian women are insatiable.

 

TIME CUT TO:  
TEPPO’S BAR (SIGMA IOTIA II)   -  AT PIANO  (LATER)

Spock noodles as Uhura, on break, joins Bones, Sulu and Chekov…

SPOCK:  Doctor, I am now convinced more than ever that your displays of spectacle are engineered to personally annoy me.

BONES:  You play a mean piana, Mister Spock.  You know “Summertime”?

SPOCK:  And the living is easy, yes.  But normally I don’t take requests.

He plays…

CHEKOV:  Pardon my ignorance but I’ve been meaning to ask— but being junior participant on this detail—

BONES:  Spit it out, man.

CHEKOV:  A Federation starship, Horizon, sent this planet on some crazy course two hundred years ago based on some book about old Earth gangsters they left behind—

SPOCK:  The Iotians are a very intuitive and imitative people, Mister Chekov.

SULU:  What he means, Commander, is how can we alter these strange developments they’re on in just one fell swoop?

SPOCK:  The Captain takes such responsibilities most seriously, Mister Sulu.  And that’s not his intention.  He intends to take his “cut.”  Whatever that means.

BONES:  Just both a you keep your gats handy.

CHEKOV:  Our gats?

Uhura pulls a Derringer from a garter holster…

UHURA:  I don’t know about you fellas but I’m ready to get back to work.  Y'know...? In outer space?

Spock spares her a small smile.  He plays, anachronistically, a robust Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say?!” and Uhura leaps to the mike and BELTS IT OUT!

Bones glances across the bar…

Kirk and Carol ENTER.  She’s on his arm and they’re dressed to the Nines, gangster and gun moll…

BONES:  Captain Responsibility, right on cue.  

Bones, backed by Sulu and Chekov, heads across the bar to

KIRK AND CAROL  
As they push through the revellers…

BONES:  I recognize that look in your eyes.

KIRK:  I’m just here for a friendly game of cards.

BONES:  Dear lord—!  Jim, aren't we warpin” outta here in less than an hour?

KIRK:  And I’m leaving with Sigma Iotia in my pocket.

BONES:  You’re making this personal.  He’s makin’ this— Doctor Marcus, Carol, you got any sway here?

Carol glances at Jim, affects Bones with his own drawl…

CAROL:  Doc, I’m just an old fashioned particle physicist.

BONES:  Dear lord…

Bones pushes his way to a

PRIVATE TABLE  
A hulk of a gangster plays cards.  

Bryl Cream, shark skin suit, heavy black eyeglasses, crime boss BELA OXMYX glances over a shoulder.

OXMYX:  Let the doc through, boys.  I got angina.

BONES:  Bela, you remember Captain— uh, my pally, Jimmy K.

As Kirk and Carol push past the crime lord’s bodyguards…

OXMYX:  Oh, sure.  The Rocket Man.  Right.  And his brainiac girlfriend!

Oxmyx holds up a half-empty tumbler at Carol.

OXMYX (cont'ing):  Fix me up, doll face.

Before she can answer angry—

KIRK:  Mister Oxmyx - - Bela - - this game you’re playing, it’s child’s play.

OXMYX:  Who’s asking you, Rocket Man?

KIRK:  On Beta Antares Four they play a real game.  A man’s game.  But it’s probably beyond you.  It requires intelligence.

Oxmyx gathers up the cards, slams them in front of a lackey.

OXMYX:  You, out.  Take the cards, Rocket Man.  Show me your play.

CHEKOV (sotto):  Keptin, I know culture of Beta Antares.   They don’t play games.  They kill vith their wery eyes—

Sulu gives him a swift nudge in the ribs.

Kirk sits, takes up the cards, shuffles them confidently.  One handed.

OXMYX:  Wanna make this innaresting, huh?

KIRK:  How much for just the planet?

Bela laughs a little…

Kirk’s poker-faced…

Bela laughs harder…

OXMYX:  Deal.  You win, Sigma’s yers.  You lose, I get yer Federation.  And I get yer girl, the blondie brainiac.

Carol, smiling brightly, bends to Jim's ear....

CAROL (reserved and icy): Please don't lose me, Captain. Or else.... You understand?

KIRK (to her; under his breath): I love it when you're stern. Gimme a kiss. For luck?

As Carol rolls her eyes, Jim lays out the cards…

KIRK:  The game is Fizzbin.

Bones buries his face in a hand.

CAROL:  Is this another joke of his I don’t get?

AT PIANO  
Spock pulls his CHIRPING communicator, plays one-handed as Uhura scats at the mike…

SCOTTY’S VOICE (filtered over COMM):  Almost in orbit, sir.  Satellites confirm Organia’s gone silent but there's some cacophony of energy signatures all over. 

SPOCK: Opinion, Mr. Scott?

SCOTTY: On m' wee mum's very eyes, potential disaster situation.

SPOCK:  Prepare Excelsior-drive systems.

SCOTTY’S VOICE (filtered over COMM):  Y’canna be serious!  My bairns have never even been tested with that particular brand of nonsense!

SPOCK:  As you well know, Mr. Scott, I’m always serious.  Emergency beam on my signal.  Warp nine point nine five thereafter.

Spock shuts off as

 

USS ENTERPRISE (SPACE)

SMASHES out of WARP SPEED and DRIFTS INTO orbit of Sigma Iotia II.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE

Scotty leaps from the command chair, hurries off the bridge…

SCOTTY:  Mister N’Gara, you have the conn.

A sluggish HORTA slithers into the center seat.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE - ENGINEERING

As Scotty arrives, addresses his team…

SCOTTY:  Ladies n’ gentlemen, the Command grade officers of our fine ship have officially lost their senses.  Excelsior drive systems, warp nine point nine five at my signal.

Off the team’s startled looks, Scotty makes an emphatic gesture… “Get on wi’ it!”

 

INT.  TEPPO’S BAR (SIGMA IOTIA II)  -  NIGHT

As Kirk flips playing cards…

KIRK:  Round the horn, Bela.  Each player gets six cards except for the player on the dealer’s right.

OXMYX:  On the right. Right.

KIRK:  Look at you!  You have two Jacks already!

OXMYX:  So, I need another Jack.

KIRK:  No!  In that case you’d have a, uh…

CHEKOV (interrupts; typically enthused): A shronk.... Jimmy?   

SULU: That's right. Y'see, Ox, you need a Queen.  Or a Deuce.

OXMYX (tries to make sense of it):  Except at night.

BONES:  On a Thursday.  

KIRK: Yeah, sure, but the odds of getting a Royal Fizzbin are astronomical— Carol, baby, what are the odds of getting a Royal Fizzbin? Babe?

CAROL:  I don’t know.  I ain't never calculated them.  Jimmy.

KIRK:  Well, they’re astronomical, let me assure you—

THE DOORS TO THE CLUB EXPLODE IN GUN FIRE!

BONES:  Cheese it!  It’s a raid!

Sulu kicks over the card table as they duck behind it!

OXMYX:  Kracko!

KIRK:  Jo-Jo Kracko?  Looks like I picked the wrong  criminal maniac.

A greasy fat-bellied gangster pushes past his cops — KRACKO.

KRACKO:  I’ma heah for da Rocket Man!

As the oblivious CHORUS GIRLS break into an Iotian “Anything Goes,”  Uhura and Spock fight their way out of the Club together.

Sulu SMASHES one of Oxmyx’s over-sized thugs, tosses a machine gun to Chekov who wildly BLASTS in the general direction over the heads of the raiders as Sulu jerks a revolver!

Carol grabs Jim and pulls him through the CHAOS!

KIRK:  Bela, you’re one unscrewable pooch!

Off Bela Oxmyx's confused expression....

KIRK (shouts back with a smile): I'll be back in a year to collect!

 

EXT.  TEPPO’S BAR (SIGMA IOTIA II) -  NIGHT

Kirk and Carol CRASH through a window, followed by Bones, Sulu and Chekov waving gunfire! 

Spock and Uhura are already there, yanking open a taxi.  Spock grabs and pitches the startled cabbie.  

Carol looks at Jim, impressed…

KIRK (nods at Spock, shrugs):  He gets me.

 

EXT.  CITY STREET -  TAXI  - NIGHT

CHASED BY WHAT SEEMS LIKE A HUNDRED OLD POLICE CARS!

IN THE TAXI  
Kirk drives, throws his crew around.

KIRK (to Bones):  Who y'think's the better shot, Sawbones?  Sulu or Spock?

BONES:  Just keep you’sr eyes on the goddamn road!

KIRK:  Hikaru, if you please.

Sulu grabs the machine gun from Chekov— CRACKS the rear window and lays down hot lead!

The cop cars CAREEN, all crazy!

KIRK  
Grins, pleased with himself.  Stares, rakish, at Carol beside him with a cocky “what’d ya think a me?” raise of his eyebrows.

SPOCK:  Captain—

KIRK:  Congratulate me later, Spock.

CAROL:  Jim!!!

He looks up — a WALL of POLICE CRUISERS are aimed right at them, Tommy guns ABLAZE!

Just as Kirk’s cab is about to SLAM INTO THE CRUISERS—

TRANSPORTER BEAM!

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  HANGAR DECK

As the cab BEAMS ABOARD in a WILD SPIN amongst shuttlecraft…

Kirk and his crew fall out, Jim’s met by Scotty.

SCOTTY:  Very nice threads, sir.

KIRK:  Excelsior systems?

SCOTTY:  Ready.

KIRK:  Really?

SCOTTY:  Your guess is as good as mine.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

As Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov arrive…

HORTA N’GARA (garbled through translator):  Captain—On-The-Bridge.

Kirk punches the intercom, still dressed as a gangster…

KIRK:  All hands, prepare for Excelsior drive, Organia in seconds.  We don’t know what we’re rushing into but I can assure you it’s going to be hot.  This is the Captain.

Kirk looks at Spock, still dressed in tuxedo…

KIRK:  I love being the Captain.

Off Spock’s raised eyebrow…

 

USS ENTERPRISE - SPACE

Moving out of planet Sigma Iotia II's orbit, leaves it behind WITH GROWING SPEED...

The starship TWISTS INTO AN IMPOSSIBLE SHAPE as it BARREL ROLLS and SCREAMS away…

 

MAIN TITLE and MAIN MUSICAL THEME…


	2. STAR TREK  Tomorrow Never Knows - - screenplay 2nd sequence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a months long, deep cover mission to the historically contaminated planet Sigma Iotia II goes sideways, Captain James Kirk and several of his best officers, effect a wild escape from Iotia's ruling criminal gangsters and are transported up to the Enterprise just in the nick of time for an experimental "warp implosion" that will almost instantaneously carry them to their next assignment : an emergency situation on the planet Organia, whose highly evolved energy-beings enforced, a year before, a shaky peace treaty and the establishment of a DMZ between the Federation and the Klingon Empire....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a direct continuation of installment 1 - - in fact, I have included the first installment here as well and may do so until completion - - a screenplay is best read as a single piece.
> 
> Please note: although this is a for-fun "spec" screenplay for a sequel to STAR TREK Into Darkness (and having been first written from late 2013 through 2015, off and on, it does not include anything that involves the direction and events of STAR TREK Beyond), Archive of Our Own doesn't seem to allow for the screenplay format. If it can, and I don't realize it, I'll be receptive to suggestions. I am both an independent filmmaker and a for-hire screenwriter with a long list of credits (and non-credits for script doctoring), so I'd naturally prefer to lay this script out properly. Instead, I've adapted and cheated my way through it.
> 
> NOTES from INSTALLMENT 1
> 
> If you are reading my serialized Kelvinverse novel, STAR TREK BEYOND FOREVER, you'll be pleased to know that the next chapter, "The Cocktail Party," a transitional piece between Part One and the upcoming, very different, Part Two, will be posted here in a matter of a couple of weeks, possibly even one week (sorry for the long delay).
> 
> In the meantime, I'm publishing here, the opening of a half-finished screenplay that I wrote as a kind of sequel to INTO DARKNESS after being positively overwhelmed by that divisive, but I believe, genuinely great film. Ultimately, I felt I'd taken the wrong turn in the script's story and finding myself pulled to other projects, it remains incomplete. It did, however, lay down many ideas I would later write as long form prose in BEYOND FOREVER, particularly the difficult but fulfilling adult romance between Jim Kirk and Carol Marcus (who is, as in BF, very much a part of the Enterprise crew and family).
> 
> If there's enough interest, I will post the rest in 10 page (approx.) installments.

STAR TREK  TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS

   
(based upon “Star Trek,” created by Gene Roddenberry, reconceived by Bad Robot Productions; First Draft written by J.D. — November 09, 2013, iffltd.com)

  
MUSIC MIXES UP AGAINST AN EERIE ELECTRONIC PING....

KIRK (V.O)

Kirk to Enterprise… Kirk to Enterprise… Come in Enterprise…

  
His VOICE gets LOST, GARBLED amidst STAR NOISE…  
 

FADE IN:

STREAKS OF LIGHT AGAINST BLACK that RESOLVE INTO a

CITYSCAPE -  SWEEPING, MOVING across and over it.....

Part futuristic metropolis, part throwback to Chicago or New York of the late 1920s…

KIRK (V.O): 

Life’s a gamble.  And the deck is usually stacked against us.

CUT TO:

A MAN’S HANDS

Shuffling a strange deck of cards, single-handed… struggles with it…

KIRK (V.O.):  I used to believe the only way to win is cheat.  And lay ‘em down before I’m beat.  Command teaches you something different.

We HEAR a run along PIANO KEYS… a WOMAN”s VOICE SINGING scales…

CUT TO:

ANOTHER MAN’S HANDS

Skillfully tinkling assured jazz from the ivories…

KIRK (V.O.): 

When I was thirteen, my mother sent me to live with her dad on Tarsus Four. 

I always thought I survived the genocide there out of dumb luck, a gamble…

WOMAN’S FOREFINGER

Taps an old-fashioned microphone— SCREECH of FEEDBACK… her lips ENTER FRAME and she SINGS to the piano, the ’30s standard, “Good Night, Sweetheart.”

 

SWEEPING CITYSCAPE

ANGLING toward a TENEMENT BUILDING as the woman SINGS…

KIRK (V.O.): 

Looking back, I always kidded myself that luck is always on my side.

CARD HANDS

His control of the deck, more assured… “Good night, sweetheart, til we meet tomorrow, Good night, sweetheart, sleep will vanish sorrow…”

  
KIRK (V.O): 

Grandpa wasn’t so lucky.  I thought he just made the worst choice for himself

and wound up in a hole in the ground with a few thousand other dumb bastards.

CUT TO:

PIANO HANDS

Works the keys as the woman SINGS....

“Good night, sweetheart, though I’m not beside you…”

KIRK (V.O): 

Commanding a ship of the line, Starfleet’s flagship, sending men and women into

harm’s way, I understand better the cheat my grandpa, Jim, made. Only it was no cheat. 

It was something he told me the old time astronauts used to say.  But he liked to say it , too…  
 

 

SWEEPING CITYSCAPE

CLOSING ON the light in a window of the tenement…

“Good night, sweetheart,  Dreams will still unfold you…”

KIRK (V.O.)  

Sometimes there’s a pooch that can’t be screwed.

 

SUPER:  Against the tenement, CLASS M PLANET SIGMA IOTIA II, STARDATE 2262.09

 

IN THE TENEMENT

  
JIM KIRK, in 1920s work clothes masters the one handed shuffle with a proud grin…  
“

Good night, sweetheart… Goodnight…”

There’s a JANGLE of keys outside the door— and the cards go FLYING!  Kirk grabs his phaser— thinks better of it— pulls an old time pistol— ducks behind the door… and yanks his gun at

CAROL MARCUS

as she ENTERS, lovely but dressed plain.  She drops a paper bag of groceries, freaked by his drop on her…

CAROL

Jim!  Captain!  What the hell?!

 

He pulls the gun away, slams the door shut—

KIRK  

Sorry, Carol!  Sorry!  But we can’t play it too safe. 

Not after last week.  I’m not about to let Oxmyx put the bag on you again.

 

CAROL

How very gallant.

 

She bends down, gathers the groceries.  Kirk joins her.

CAROL  

But I don’t blame you,  I didn’t sign aboard your ship to spend my time bound and gagged in

an ancient warehouse as a bartering chip for a thug.  Any word from Mister Scott?

 

Kirk holds up some leafy greens.

KIRK

Why does it always have to be vegetables?  Three weeks and nothing but lettuce and carrots.

  
CAROL

They’re good for you. 

KIRK    

Who are you, my mother? 

CAROL

I remembered your cold cuts and hard roll.  Now answer me

straight for once.  Did you hear from the Enterprise?  I’m… concerned.

KIRK

It’s happening tonight.  And there’s an emergency out there.  Something about Organia.

He stands over her.  She matches him, sweeps up some of the playing cards, displays a weird-looking Jack…

CAROL

 One more game with Oxmyx first?

KIRK

 You know me, Doctor Marcus…

CAROL

 You always have a trick up your sleeve.

Off his smart-aleck grin… her reluctant smile.  She laughs lightly as he pulls her close with a deep kiss.  The cards go FLYING again…  
 

EXT.  CITY STREET - TEPPO’S BAR (SIGMA IOTIA II) -  NIGHT

Jammed with funky old autos RAMMING each other with drunken abandon…

DR. LEONARD MCCOY, BONES, climbs out of a taxi in a zoot suit, a FLOOZIE on each arm.

BONES

 Ladies, drinks’re on me.  It’s Red Hour somewhere, I figger.

FLOOZIE #1

Y’ever get what he’s jawin’ ‘bout?

Floozie #2 shrugs.

FLOOZIE #2  

He’s Bela’s new sawbones.  What’s not to love?  Money talks.

BONES

 Y’all got that right, honey pie.

They head into  
 

INT.  TEPPO’S BAR (SIGMA IOTIA II)  -  NIGHT

A busy high-end joint.  A lotta booze.  No Volstead on this parallel world.

Commander SPOCK, in a tux, plays piano…

Lieutenant UHURA, in a slinky dress, is on stage singing “Midnight, the Stars and You,” nods at Spock then over at

ON BONES

McCoy at the bar, WHOOPIN’ IT UP with the floozies and knockin’ back Sigma Iotia’s brand of bourbon.

Spock frowns…

BONES

It’s like my wife Dorothy said about me.  Lennie, she said, you’ll be the death of me.

FLOOZIE #1

 Murdered your wife, huh?

BONES

Only with a surfeit of good intentions.

FLOOZIE #2

 Oh, Surfeit!  I love that perfume!

Two SHADOWY MEN IN SUITS appear on either side of Bones.

MAN #1

Doctor McCoy, your voice is carrying.

MAN #2

You may not vant to be discussing dis in… uh, public?

Bones turns to find

Lieutenant SULU and Ensign CHEKOV on either side of him looking like extras out of a John Garfield movie.  Bones winks at ‘em.

BONES

Relax, good sirs.  I took a Ferengi sobriety pill.  These Iotian women are insatiable.  
 

TIME CUT TO:

TEPPO’S BAR (SIGMA IOTIA II)   -  AT PIANO  (LATER)

Spock noodles as Uhura, on break, joins Bones, Sulu and Chekov…

SPOCK

Doctor, I am now convinced more than ever that your displays of spectacle are engineered to personally annoy me.

BONES

 You play a mean piana, Mister Spock.  You know “Summertime”?

SPOCK

 And the living is easy, yes.  But normally I don’t take requests.

He plays…

CHEKOV

 Pardon my ignorance but I’ve been meaning to ask— but being junior participant on this detail—

BONES

 Spit it out, man.

CHEKOV

A Federation starship, Horizon, sent this planet on some crazy course two hundred years ago

based on some book about old Earth gangsters they left behind—

SPOCK

 The Iotians are a very intuitive and imitative people, Mister Chekov.

SULU

What he means, Commander, is how can we alter these strange developments they’re on in just one fell swoop?

SPOCK

The Captain takes such responsibilities most seriously, Mister Sulu.  And that’s not his intention.  He intends to take his “cut.”  Whatever that means.

BONES

 Just both a you keep your gats handy.

CHEKOV

Our gats?

Uhura pulls a Derringer from a garter holster…

UHURA

 I don’t know about you fellas but I’m ready to get back to work.  Y'know...? In outer space?

Spock spares her a small smile.  He plays, anachronistically, a robust Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say?!” and Uhura leaps to the mike and BELTS IT OUT!

Bones glances across the bar…

BONES' POV :  Kirk and Carol ENTER.  She’s on his arm and they’re dressed to the Nines, gangster and gun moll…

BONES

Captain Responsibility, right on cue. 

Bones, backed by Sulu and Chekov, heads across the bar to

KIRK AND CAROL

As they push through the revellers…

BONES

 I recognize that look in your eyes.

KIRK

I’m just here for a friendly game of cards.

BONES

 Dear lord—!  Jim, aren't we warpin” outta here in less than an hour?

KIRK

 And I’m leaving with Sigma Iotia in my pocket.

BONES

 You’re making this personal.  He’s makin’ this— Doctor Marcus, Carol, you got any sway here?

Carol glances at Jim, affects Bones with his own drawl…

CAROL:  Doc, I’m just an old fashioned particle physicist.

BONES

Dear lord…

Bones pushes his way to a

PRIVATE TABLE

A hulk of a gangster plays cards with 4 of his THUGS.  Bryl Cream, shark skin suit, heavy black eyeglasses, crime boss BELA OXMYX glances over a shoulder.

OXMYX

Let the doc through, boys.  I got angina.

BONES

Bela, you remember Captain— uh, my pally, Jimmy K.

As Kirk and Carol push past the crime lord’s bodyguards…

OXMYX

Oh, sure.  The Rocket Man.  Right.  And his brainiac girlfriend!

Oxmyx holds up a half-empty tumbler at Carol.

OXMYX (cont'd)

 Fix me up, doll face.

Before she can answer angry—

KIRK

Mister Oxmyx - - Bela - - this game you’re playing, it’s child’s play.

OXMYX

Who’s asking you, Rocket Man?

KIRK

On Beta Antares Four they play a real game.  A man’s game. 

But it’s probably beyond you.  It requires intelligence.

Oxmyx gathers up the cards, slams them in front of a lackey.

OXMYX

You, out.  Take the cards, Rocket Man.  Show me your play.

CHEKOV (sotto)

Keptin, I know culture of Beta Antares.   They don’t play games.  They kill vith their wery eyes—

Sulu gives him a swift nudge in the ribs.

Kirk sits, takes up the cards, shuffles them confidently.  One handed.

OXMYX

Wanna make this innaresting, huh?

KIRK

How much for just the planet?

Bela laughs a little…

Kirk’s poker-faced... finally lets slip a small, sly smirk....

Bela laughs harder…

OXMYX

Deal.  You win, Sigma’s yers.  You lose, I get yer Federation. 

And I get yer girl, the blondie brainiac.

KIRK

That sounds...

(beat)

Equitable

Carol, smiling brightly, bends to Jim's ear....

CAROL

(reserved and icy)

Please don't lose me, Captain. Or else.... You understand?

KIRK

(to her; under his breath)

I love it when you're stern. Gimme a kiss. For luck?

As Carol rolls her eyes as Jim lays out the cards…

KIRK

The name of the game is Fizzbin.

Bones buries his face in a hand.

CAROL

Is this another joke of his I don’t get?

 

AT PIANO

Spock pulls his CHIRPING communicator, plays one-handed as Uhura SCATS at the mike…

SCOTTY’S VOICE

(filtered over COMM)

:  Almost in orbit, sir.  Satellites confirm Organia’s gone silent but there's some

righteous cacophony of energy signatures all over star system four-two-nine.

SPOCK

Opinion, Mr. Scott?

 

SCOTT

On m' wee mum's very eyes, potential disaster situation.

  
SPOCK

Prepare Excelsior-drive systems.

SCOTTY’S VOICE

(filtered over COMM): 

Y’canna be serious!  My bairns have never even been tested with that

particular brand of nonsense!

SPOCK

As you well know, Mr. Scott, I’m always serious.  Emergency beam on my signal. 

Warp nine point nine five thereafter.

 

Spock shuts off as

 

USS ENTERPRISE

SMASHES out of WARP SPEED and DRIFTS INTO orbit of Sigma Iotia II.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE

Scotty leaps from the command chair, hurries off the bridge…

SCOTTY

Mister N’Gara, you have the conn.

A sluggish HORTA slithers into the center seat.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE - ENGINEERING

As Scotty arrives, addresses his team…

SCOTTY

Ladies n’ gentlemen, the Command grade officers of our fine ship have officially lost their senses.

Excelsior drive systems, warp nine point nine five at my signal.

Off the team’s startled looks, Scotty makes an emphatic gesture… “Get on wi’ it!”

INT.  TEPPO’S BAR (SIGMA IOTIA II)  -  NIGHT

As Kirk flips playing cards…

KIRK

Round the horn, Bela.  Each player gets six cards except for the player on the dealer’s right.

OXMYX

On the right. Right.

KIRK

 Look at you!  You have two Jacks already!

OXMYX

So, I need another Jack.

KIRK

No!  In that case you’d have a, uh…

CHEKOV

(interrupts - -  typically enthused)

A shronk!

(beat)

Jimmy?  

SULU

That's right. Y'see, Ox, you need a Queen.  Or a Deuce.

OXMYX

(tries to make sense of it)

Except at night.

BONES

On a Thursday. 

KIRK

Yeah, sure, but the odds of getting a Royal Fizzbin are astronomical— Carol, baby, what are the odds of getting a Royal Fizzbin? Babe?

CAROL

I don’t know.  I ain't never calculated them.  Jimmy.

KIRK

Well, they’re astronomical, let me assure you—

THE DOORS TO THE CLUB EXPLODE IN GUN FIRE!

BONES

Cheese it!  It’s a raid!

Sulu kicks over the card table as they duck behind it!

OXMYX:  Kracko!

KIRK

 Jo-Jo Kracko?  Looks like I picked the wrong  criminal maniac.

A greasy fat-bellied gangster pushes past his cops — KRACKO.

KRACKO

 I’ma heah for da Rocket Man!

As the oblivious CHORUS GIRLS break into an Iotian “Anything Goes,”  Uhura and Spock fight their way out of the Club together.

Sulu SMASHES one of Oxmyx’s over-sized thugs, tosses a machine gun to Chekov who wildly BLASTS in the general direction over the heads of the raiders as Sulu jerks a revolver!

Carol grabs Jim and pulls him through the CHAOS!

KIRK

Bela, you’re one unscrewable pooch!

Off Bela Oxmyx's confused expression....

KIRK

(shouts back with a smile)

I'll be back in a year to collect!

 

EXT.  TEPPO’S BAR (SIGMA IOTIA II) -  NIGHT

Kirk and Carol CRASH through a window, followed by Bones, Sulu and Chekov waving gunfire! 

Spock and Uhura are already there, yanking open a taxi.  Spock grabs and pitches the startled cabbie. 

Carol looks at Jim, impressed…

KIRK

(nods at Spock, shrugs)

He gets me.

EXT.  CITY STREET -  TAXI  - NIGHT

CHASED BY WHAT SEEMS LIKE A HUNDRED OLD POLICE CARS!

IN THE TAXI

Kirk drives, throws his crew around.

KIRK

(to Bones)

 Who y'think's the better shot, Sawbones?  Sulu or Spock?

BONES

Just keep you’sr eyes on the goddamn road!

KIRK

Hikaru, if you please.

Sulu grabs the machine gun from Chekov - -  CRACKS the rear window and lays down hot lead!

The cop cars CAREEN, all crazy!

KIRK

Grins, pleased with himself.  Stares, rakish, at Carol beside him with a cocky “what’d ya think a me?” raise of his eyebrows.

SPOCK

Captain—

KIRK

Congratulate me later, Spock.

CAROL

Jim!!!

He looks up — a WALL of POLICE CRUISERS are aimed right at them, Tommy guns ABLAZE!

Just as Kirk’s cab is about to SLAM INTO THE CRUISERS—  TRANSPORTER BEAM!

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  HANGAR DECK

As the cab BEAMS ABOARD in a WILD SPIN amongst shuttlecraft…

Kirk and his crew fall out, Jim’s met by Scotty.

SCOTTY

Very nice "threads," as I believe they call them, sir.  The local lingo?

KIRK

Excelsior systems?

SCOTTY

Ready.

KIRK

Really?

SCOTTY

Your guess is as good as mine.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

As Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov arrive…

ENSIGN HORTA N’GARA

(garbled through translator)

Captain—On-The-Bridge.

Kirk punches the intercom, still dressed as a gangster…

KIRK

(to Uhura)

Put me on, ship-wide.

UHURA

I already have, Captain.

Kirk gives her an appreciative nod....

KIRK

All hands, prepare for Excelsior drive,  She's likely going to give us a bounce.  Or two.  But we'll be at Organia in seconds. 

We don’t know what we’re rushing into but I can assure you it’s going to be hot.  This is the Captain.

Kirk looks at Spock, still dressed in tuxedo…

KIRK

I love being the Captain.

Off Spock’s raised eyebrow…

 

USS ENTERPRISE - SPACE

Moving out of planet Sigma Iotia II's orbit, leaves it behind WITH GROWING SPEED...

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE

CLOSE ON

Kirk as he sits in his Command chair....  leans forward, stares straight ahead...

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE - ENGINEERING

Scotty walks along a line of his engineers at their computer posts.... runs a look at each of their screens, nodding-pointing-calling out numbers, orders only his team understands, and finally addresses the bridge...

SCOTTY

All drive systems, standard warp and this mad Excelsior flibbrty-jib, show ready, Captain.

Marker-rigged,  coded Alfa-Tango-Whiskey-Whiskey-Jacklnife. 

 

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE

Kirk glances at Mr. Sulu....

KIRK

Blue yonder time, Lieutenant.

 

Sulu turns forward, works a series of switches....

A light on the main board FLASHES like wild.

SULU

Stand by.  In five.

Kirk's auto-safety belt snaps into place, criss-crossing his upper body...  as it does for the other seated members of the bridge crew....

SULU 

Five.... four... three.... two - - 

 

SPACE - USS ENTERPRISE

The great ship seems to FREEZE in place - -  then WINKS OUT in a strobing storm of light that EXPANDS, then IMPLODES, out of which, in a streak of prismatic churning COLOR, rockets the Enterprise - -it STRRRREEETCHES and SNAPS and becomes a tiny point of light that because smaller and smaller and smaller still....

CUT TO:

MAIN TITLES 

Then…

The USS Enterprise TUMBLES END OVER END back into real-space…

In the FAR DISTANCE, a PLANET IN FLAMES… BREAKS APART in VOLCANIC EXPLOSIONS....

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE -  BRIDGE

On VIEW SCREEN the planet SWIRLS in violent FLASHES throwing off MASSES OF FIRE, DEBRIS.  Enterprise’s klaxons BLARE…

As the ship TUMBLES, Kirk's and Spock's auto-safteys disengage, and, finding purchase,  they stare together at the nightmarish maelstrom.

KIRK

My god… Organia.  What’s happened?

The turbo lift flicks open and Scotty scrambles onto the bridge, fighting to keep his balance.

Spock nudges Kirk's arm, breaking his stunned study of what lay ahead, indicates Scotty with a nod as Chekov pushes away from his station and rushes to join the engineer.  Kirk and Spock follow and join...

Scotty and Chekov at plexi-wall  data station… the ship’s SHAAAAKING!

KIRK

Unless I miss my guess, Scotty, we have a wee problem.

SCOTTY

Blame Admiral April.  This fine ship isn’t meant to leap from sublight to

warp nine point nine five at the casual push of a button!

CHEKOV

Mr. Scott.  Here, here and here...

(points at rapid-fire readouts on the glass wall-screen)

Overloads.  Deep inside the A-two-three-five.  And look here - - 

(indicates on wall-screen)

Matter-anti-matter intermix  came out of set-balance.  It's created

some kind of energy fissure in space. Forward port-side!

SPOCK

Mister Sulu, set two-seven-one by three-four-nine.

As Sulu works, Chekov rejoins him at his navstation  They level the ship - -  the shaking slowly stops .... they're cruising now…

Kirk watches his bridge crew work – brisk efficiency… nods with satisfaction.

KIRK

Scotty, Organia–?

SCOTTY

(interrupts knowingly)

We’re a good coupla hours away now because of the malfunction but good ole reliable ordinary

warp’ll be ready for ye not a minute too soon once we’re there.

KIRK

(eyes on fireball Organia)

 I need a shower.

SCOTTY

Y'certainly do, sir.

Off Spock’s look…

SCOTTY

Jus’ sayin’ Doctor Marcus’ perfume smells better on her than the Captain.  Lovely fragrance, sir.

Kirk turns to Spock…

KIRK

 Walk with me.

Kirk, joined by Spock and Scotty, pauses at the 

TURBO LIFT

Looks back at Sulu, busy at the helm, maneuvering them past and through the first wave of detritus, glowing red-hot, from Organia, glances at the

FORWARD VIEW SCREEN

And the situations grows yet more dangerous the closer they move to the destroyed planet.

KIRK

Turns to Scotty as Spock stands in the lift, holding the doors open  by a control stick inside. 

KIRK

Stay topside, Mr. Scott.  I want you to run strategy and battle drills.  Nothing too strenuous - - keep them focussed.

SCOTTY

Understood, Captain.

 

IN TURBO LIFT

As lift doors close behind them…

KIRK

You seem more pissed off with me than usual, Mister Spock. 

In fact you were a real bear the past three weeks on Sigma.

 

SPOCK

A pissed off bear,  sir?  You’re working Doctor McCoy’s vernacular into your vocabulary, I take it.

KIRK

There you go again.  Permission to speak freely, Commander.

Spock’s tense, proceeds uncertainly…

SPOCK

Organia is important.  Sigma Iotia Two, comparatively, relatively speaking, wasn’t. 

It’s a Captain’s prerogative, of course–

KIRK

 Wait a second, you think I’m to blame for whatever the hell’s happening to Organia?

SPOCK

No, sir.  But you cut things too fine over a gamble and you’re losing perspective. 

I saw this in Captain Pike once when he, too, fell in love.

KIRK

Christopher Pike in love?  I’d like to have seen that.

The TURBO LIFT OPENS onto the

OFFICERS' QUARTERS DECK

Kirk laughs a little, fondly thinking of Pike as Spock walks beside him… Kirk notices Spock’s seriousness…

KIRK:

Who was she?

SPOCK: 

His Yeoman.

KIRK

  And?

SPOCK

She was killed – under his direct command.

Kirk slows, stops near his cabin.

SPOCK  (con'd)

 It was supposed to be a routine recon mission on Rigel Seven.  The Captain’s thoughts were,

in the only instance I can recall, not fully engaged in the task at hand and he lead us

into an ambush.  He very nearly resigned over her death as he believed himself entirely responsible.

KIRK

 Anything else you’d like to say, Spock.  Now’s the time.

SPOCK

 As your First Officer, your… personal distraction, how shall I put it? 

(beat)  

I believe you are leaving yourself vulnerable personally as well as this ship’s commander–

KIRK

Just say it, Spock.  You want Carol Marcus off the Enterprise.

SPOCK

Her skill and intellect are  certainly assets to us and the Fleet  but

a Captain can’t afford that kind of life, certainly not with one of his officers.

KIRK

But you and Ms. Uhura can because....?  Because you’re different.

SPOCK

 Frankly sir, yes.  

KIRK  

Huh.  Mister Spock, if it’ll make you sleep easier, rest assured that she and I have

e become good friends, very good friends, in fact, but I am not falling in love with – -

The doors to Kirk’s cabin OPEN – Carol’s there, her hair tousled and damp , wearing Jim’s silky dressing gown with Klingoni glyphs painted down one side…

 KIRK (cont'd)

 Carol… 

CAROL

(to Kirk; doesn't see Spock off to the side): 

Are you finished tossing our ship around - -

(then she notices Spock; stumbles over her words)

Because I, uh - - I was, I mean, after we disengaged the Excelsior drive and I got a sense of what

had happened out there, I assigned Cooper and Burnett to ready a barrage of KVs- -

uh, combat forensics probes while I took a quick shower. To wash Sigma Iotia off of...me.

(beat)

So, can I?

Jim looks at her uncertainly, cocks his head and leans forward a little, his eyes going wide - - encouraging elaboration.

 

CAROL  (cont'd)

Tell Cooper and Burnett to launch the probes when I return to the weapons bay?

KIRK

(nods)

Yes, of course.  Wait a minute - - 

(holds up a hand when she starts to reply)

Mister Spock, gather my officers in about… an hour.  I need ideas and we’re short on time.  Code… Red.

SPOCK:

Yes, sir.

(nods curtly at Carol)

  Lieutenant.

Spock walks OFF....

and the moment he's out of sight, stepping into a lift. Carol GROANS - - at a loss, angry with herself.  Buries herself by pushing her forehead against Jim's nearest shoulder.

CAROL

Ugh.... I'm so sorry.

KIRK

What're you - - ?  Sorry for what?

CAROL

Please don't be kind to me,  Jim.  Please.

He moves an arm around her, leads her back into

 

CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS

Dim, soft lights.  Out the wide port, volcanic-hot debris WHIPS PAST against the MOVING STAR FIELD.

Jim leads Carol to a divan in the cabin's conversation pit, sits her down.

CAROL  (cont'd)

I embarrassed you right in the face of your Exec.  And what he must think of me - -

KIRK

Spock thinks - -  hell,  he was just saying you're one of the best - -

CAROL

Look, I was, I believe, understandably uncomfortable working in the

thick of things below decks in the get-up I was wearing on the planet.

 I mean, I've accomplished many things, professionally, thus far

in my Starfleet career but harlotry is a little outside my expertise.  So, once I'd 

distributed assignments to each member of my department - -

KIRK  
Uh, Carol, wait a sec- -

CAROL

I decided to take ten, twenty minutes and get washed up and change clothes and then I

remembered not only had I left  a  jumpsuit here but also that tricorder I told you I'd modified for

extremely efficient - - and handy - -  weapons yield analysis and while I was here and my work suit

was here, and I'm so used to taking a quick  shower in here before my shift's roll call - -

KIRK

Carol!  Hold it!

(beat; half-serious)

That's a - - whatever.  An order.

 

He pours her an Altair water from a frosty carafe, sits close beside her.

KIRK

Carol, listen to me - -

CAROL

But, I was just thinking - - 

KIRK

Carol, would you, please - -listen to me - -

CAROL

Honestly, if, maybe, you sat down with Mister Spock and me, I think - - 

KIRK

And how about you give that remarkable, incomparable brain of yours a rest for five- - no, two- - 

two minutes, and just listen to what I have to say?  Deal?

CAROL

Deal.  With reservations.

KIRK

Okay.  Now, I know I've screwed up for a while now on the conversation I know we got tto have,

and that I told you before Sigma Iotia we'd get down into the - - 

CAROL

Before that.

KIRK  
All right.  Since Arcanis, then- -

CAROL  
Uh-uh.  Since Truss.

KIRK

Really?  That long?

CAROL  
Mmmm-hmm, Captain.

KIRK

All ight, all right, I know I've been promising we'd have this exchange for

some time now, about where we're heading but- -

CAROL  
Jim, I feel vaguely ridiculous even bringing this up - - what with what's happing

outside this ship.  Right now.  The Oregonians and the Kling- -

KIRK

The problems of the two of us don't make for a hill a beans, is that it?

CAROL

Well, yes.  Look, I just don't want Mr. Spock to lose respect for either of us.But

particularly you.

KIRK

Spock?  Don't worry about him.  He's my problem.

CAROL  
I'm not worrying about him as much as I am about you.  He's your friend.  

And outside of Leonard, and Spock, and, I like to think, me, I think,

you have a tendency to avoid meaningful friendships. 

Jim gets up and heads for his wet bar

KIRK

I 've got plenty of friends.  And what does that even matter?

CAROL

It matters, my lovely, dear man, because, hell....  First Officers and Captains aren't always the best of...

 

She breaks off, looks away, looks back at him.

CAROL

We're in love, right?  I mean, crazy, one in a million love?    With each other, I mean?

KIRK  
This a trick question?

CAROL

No.  Just get out of that damn gangster suit and you and me, we got twenty to forget about the galaxy.

Jim knocks back the shot of Scotch he poured.

 

 INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  STRATEGY ROOM

Larger than the briefing room, with stadium seating and viewers and computer screens, all alive with flashing, scrolling data. 

Kirk stalks the room.  Spock, Bones, Carol, Sulu, Scotty, various other OFFICERS, department heads, at a table and throughout…

KIRK

 Doctor Marcus, current state of Klingon weaponry?

CAROL

 They continue to rely on brute force energy.  It still gives them the first blush of dominance.

but it’s a drain on virtually their entire grid so they can’t sustain a strategic counter.  Not the way we can.

 

SCOTTY: 

Wasteful buggers.  Their warships are built for bursts of speed, weapons fire, and a swift retreat.

 

BONES:

A fine barbarian race, running away at the kind of challenge we’re ready for.

SPOCK

 Doctor–  These “barbarians” had enabled nuclear weapons when the entire state of Georgia

was just one muddy village.

KIRK

Ladies and gentlemen, Mister Spock and I, as many of you know, signed a peace accord a year ago

with Rear Admiral Kor at the insistence of the super-evolved Organian… beings.  The Organians

have been enforcing that peace, such as it is, presuming that we’ll act like good, little boys and girls. 

Why they’re disappearing in that swirl of plasma where their world used to be is our main concern but

if Kor or any of the Klingon military elite are even remotely responsible–

CAROL

  Then the war my father knew was coming is inevitable after all.

All eyes are on Carol…

KIRK

 In space, nothing is inevitable.  Not without my say so.

 

Several officers have  a laugh at their Captain’s always charming bravado when–

SMAAASH!  Everyone goes FLYING!

 

SPACE  -  PLANET ORGANIA FIRE STORM

Three KLINGON BATTLE CRUISERS slice THROUGH the flame, spinning volcanic rocks, forward tubes GLOW HOT RED,  FIRE torpedoes...

 

USS  ENTERPRISE

Reels BACK....  Explosions ripping across the hull!                            

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE

As Spock, Carol and Sulu scramble for their posts and Kirk falls into his command chair...

  
CHEKOV  

Keptin!  Klingon varships on approach!

 

KIRK  

I’m well aware, Chekov.  Spock?

 

SPOCK

K’t'inga class, heavy cruisers.  And another three have dropped from warp at the edge of the system.

KIRK

 So, it’s a fleet.  Terrific.  Mister Sulu—

 

VIEW SCREEN

FLARES with a KLINGON TORPEDO's near miss...

 

KIRK (CONT’D)

 Return fire!  All weapons on a strafing run then swing us around what’s left of the planet.

SULU

 Aye, sir!

 

SPACE  -  PLANET ORGANIA FIRESTORM

The Enterprise SOARS PAST the Klingon cruisers, bombarding phasers and torpedoes… explosions RIPPLE across all three ships as Enterprise DIVES into the swirling gas…

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE

Urgent VOICES, all decks — orders, counter-orders — bridge crew dart station to station.  Kirk’s AUTO HARNESS LOCKS across him as he braces against the ship’s SHEERING…

 

AROUND THE FIERY PLANET

Enterprise ARCS at incredible, destruction-defying energy…

 

NT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

Kirk’s thoughts dance in his eyes, focus...

KIRK

Chekov, pivot and sheer, zee-ten thousand.  Sulu, angle up sixty from below. 

Target the belly of the flagship and fire.

 

SPACE  -  PLANET ORGANIA FIRESTORM

The Enterprise BARRELS up at a near-impossible angle, weapons blazing!

It’s fire CRACKS the lead Klingon cruiser IN HALF!

Enterprise SAILS through the spiraling debris…

 

INT.  -  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

FLAMING WRECKAGE from the crippled Klingon starship TUMBLES past the VIEW SCREEN…

KIRK

Nice shot.

Spock turns from his station.

SPOCK

 K’t'inga to port launching D-Four attack fighters.

 

SPACE  -  KLINGON CRUISER

Massive BAY DOORS OPEN, a half-dozen heavy armored ATTACK SHIPS  drops and SWEEP  around — ATTACK FORMATION!

 

USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

Uhura flips comm switches…

UHURA

(off ear-piece)

Enterprise… Enterprise… (translates Klingon) They’re ordering surrender… Prepare to be boarded or destroyed.

KIRK

 We’re in over our head.  Spock, exercise the better part of valor.

Carol studies her monitors with growing puzzlement as Spock moves with purpose to the forward console…

SPOCK

Sulu, hard about!  Full evasive!

CAROL

(to self)

It can’t be… no.  My God…

SPACE

Enterprise CAREENS as the Klingon fighters break attack formation... 

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  SICKBAY

Crew members drag injured shipmates as Bones and staff triage…

BONES

(to Nurse off two gurneyed crew)

Broken ribs.  Her before him.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  ENGINEERING

EXPLOSIONS rock the deck — BLASTS of SUPER-HOT gas!

SCOTTY

(to scrambling Engineers)

 Leslie!  Scorch!  Evacuate section twelve, emergency shutdown— 

(hits switch) 

Cap’n,  micro cracks t’the outer core.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

Spock leans across Nav station, works dials, glances to Chekov…

SPOCK  

Set two-seven-one by one-one-seven.

CHEKOV

 Sir, the three cruisers at edge of system are laying gravitic mines across every glide path.

KIRK

 Damn.

CAROL

(off monitors)

 Captain.  Getting a strange reading from one of the cruisers astern.

Kirk cuts her off— curt gesture—

KIRK

Spock, I’ve got an idea.

SPOCK

 I was afraid of that.

Kirk springs up, joins Spock by Sulu and Chekov…

KIRK

 Omega Blackjack.  We'd have to be crazy to try, right? 

Spock considers… Chekov shoots Sulu a concerned look, Sulu just flexes his fingers in cool readiness…

SULU

Well, they'll never see it coming.

CHEKOV

Wery true.  But - -

KIRK

But nothing.  Spock?

Spock considers- - for barely a moment

SPOCK

Very well, sir.  Ship wide… 

(crosses back to station, nods at Uhura who works comm)

  All hands, stand by.  Excelsior drive system implosion imminent!

CHEKOV

(to Sulu)

Prepared to defy the laws of physics, Mister Sulu?

SULU

(glances at the Russian)

Ye of little faith.

 

Spock passes Carol who studies Kirk’s profile, breathless…

CAROL  

 Omega Black…

(shakes her head a little) 

Captain, my Captain…  The balls on you...

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  ENGINEERING

A line of his Engineers force shunts into place, Scotty paces behind them — the Knute Rockne of warp speed…

SCOTTY

 The man upstairs first wanted us to make the damn Excelsior drive throw him across the galaxy.  

Now, he wants us to run 'er inside out and everywhere  in between to prove we've got nerve that Klinz'hai have never

dreamed of! Captain James Tiberius Kirk wants a million to one shot, a million in one he shall receive!  I say, “Aye, sir!”?

ENGINEERS

(unison)  

AYE, SIR!  AYE!

 

SPACE  -  EDGE OF SYSTEM

Three Klingon cruisers, a skirmishing line, SEED spinning gravitic mines, flashing as they ARM.

The Enterprise races the D-4 fighters STRAIGHT FOR THE MINES!

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

Kirk settles back in the center seat…

KIRK

May fortune favor the foolish.  PUNCH IT!

Sulu’s fingers dance across the fore board… AND—

 

IN SPACE

At minefield edge, the Enterprise ssstttRETCHESSS - - seems to TWIST INSIDE OUT for a FLASH - - and WINKS OUT!

The D-4 fighters PLUNGE INTO the mines… explosions TEAR them up, ENGULF the cruisers that list away…

 

USS ENTERPRISE

TWISTS through a distorted WARP CORRIDOR — streaking scarlet instead of blue.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

Kirk… Carol… Sulu… Chekov… Uhura… Spock… they SMEAR like melting oil paint…   THIN INTO ETHER…

Spock’s HANDS flow over controls… AND

 

USS ENTERPRISE

SLIPS BACK into reality, returned to normality and CRUISING…

SMASH CUT TO:

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

The crew’s laughing, CHEERING!

Kirk lays his head back…

SCOTTY’S VOICE

(filtered over comm)

 Captain!

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  ENGINEERING

As emergency SPRINKLERS RAIN on him…

SCOTTY

Please don’t ask me to do that again.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

Kirk smiles, stands…

KIRK

You have my word, Mister Scott.

SPOCK

 Captain, there is the matter of the remaining two cruisers directly ahead.

KIRK

(to Uhura)

 Warn the Klingon bastards off or we’ll take the full power of the

Enterprise straight down their throats.

She fights a knowing grin, addresses comm in KLINGONESE…

CAROL

 Jim.

She comes alongside him, he reads her…

KIRK

That strange reading you detected.  Trouble?

CAROL

 I never would have believed it—  but it’s what they used to destroy Organia.

As Spock joins them…

CAROL (CONT’D)

 It’s protomatter.

KIRK

Protomatter?

SPOCK

 An unstable substance every ethical scientist in the field has decried as dangerously unpredictable.

CAROL  

Theoretically, it can be used for terraforming on a planetary scale but—

SPOCK

 With the risk of complete and utter annihilation.

CAROL

 An awful, indescribable force of destruction.

Kirk glances at the VIEW SCREEN, Organia in flames…

KIRK

 Not so indescribable.

CHEKOV

 Klingon forward tube powering as she aims!

SPOCK

 They’ve completed a detonation countdown and are locking on.

CAROL

 A single particle even grazing our shields and we’re  dust.

KIRK

 Sulu, back off.  Down warp, ninety degrees.  Warp cavitate!  Warp cavitate!

Carol shakes her head knowingly, helplessly at Jim…

 

SPACE  -  KLINGON CRUISER

Fore tube GLOWS, FIRES— THE SHIP IS HIT WITH DISTINCTIVE SPINNING RED TORPEDOES — KLINGON TORPEDOES… all that’s left is a cloud of gas and dust.

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE

Kirk and crew REACT as…

 

A MAMMOTH KLINGON WARSHIP

  
PLOWS through the remains of Organia.  Bristling with guns and ornate bronze armor it is EMPEROR K’MANTA class.  It SLOWS nose-to-nose with the Enterprise as the last Klingon cruiser WARPS AWAY!

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

Kirk studies the new arrival shrewdly…

Chekov’s itchy trigger finger…

CHEKOV

Veapons ready, sir!

UHURA

Captain!

Kirk raises a warning hand, turns to Uhura.

UHURA

(translates off ear-piece)

They’re… requesting we hold position.  And wait.

KIRK

 Request?  Klingons?  Since when'd they learn good manners?

SULU

Wait for what?

On the VIEW SCREEN, the K’Manta LOOMS LARGE…

KIRK

  We just.... wait.  I guess  Spock, you and Scotty take the opportunity

to affect repairs as best you can.

Spock nods, leaves bridge as Kirk toggles switch on armrest.

KIRK (CONT’D)

 Bones?

INTERCUT:  BONES IN SICKBAY/KIRK ON BRIDGE

 

Sickbay's busy with activity…

  
BONES

 You through fillin’ my waitin’ room?  I’m running out of old magazines.

KIRK

For now.  How we doing?

BONES

 Burns, bruises, broken bones.  Could have been a lot worse, Captain.  A lot worse.

KIRK

Good to hear.  Full report when you can.  Kirk out.

ON KIRK

He arches his back… feels a sympathetic hand rub his neck, looks 'round...

  
Carol.  She gives him a private little look, draws her hand away slowly, preventing anyone from seeing....

  
CAROL:  Pretty impressive, Kirk.  You show some Captaining promise but…

She nods at the warship on VIEWER…

CAROL (CONT’D)

You didn’t pull that from your sleeve, did you?

KIRK

Come by my cabin later…?

  (small smile) 

Once you’ve gathered your data on this fine mess.

CAROL

 All right.  (leans close)  You did good, Jim.

KIRK

 Mister Sulu, the chair’s yours.  On the horn if they so much as twitch.

As Kirk leaves the bridge, Carol watches him with quiet concern…

 

 


	3. Tomorrow Never Knows (Screenplay Continued)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> STAR TREK  TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS  (sequence #4)  
>  Previously:  After Kirk’s Fizzbin gamble on the Chicago gangland world Sigma Iotia II goes haywire, he leads his officers in a crazy escape back to the Enterprise where an experimental drive system hurls them to disaster stricken planet Organia.  Organia, whose super-being overlords enforced a peace treaty between Kirk and his Klingon adversary, Admiral Kor,  representing the Empire he serves, a year previous has been rendered into swirling volcanic plasma, firebombed by Klingon warships!   Kirk’s tactical brilliance and warrior’s daring lays waste to most the enemy but Lieutenant Carol Wallace, specialist in advanced weaponry, and whose growing romance with the Captain has caused Spock professional concern, detects the cause for Organia’s destruction on the remaining warship.  It’s protomatter, an unstable, volatile substance that can bring about planet-wide holocaust.  As the warship prepares to fire a protomatter blast at the Enterprise, an overpowering Klingon battle cruiser, the K’Manta, drops from warp and destroys the warship.  The K’Manta orders Enterprise to hold position… and wait…  
> SPACE

SPACE

The Enterprise and the Klingon Emperor-K’Manta DRIFT around each other as the EMBERS OF ORGANIA burn away…

KIRK (V.O)  

Captain’s log.  Organia’s dead and gone and so is our tentative peace with

the Klingon Empire, a peace I helped orchestrate with the Kling…

And Rear Admiral Kor…

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  KIRK’S CABIN

Kirk, in a black “Riverside, Iowa” t-shirt, lays on his bunk deep in thought.

KIRK (V.O)  

We’re two hours into this silent waiting game with their impressive unidentified warship. 

And if Carol— uh, Computer?  Remove the name "Carol."

(beat)  

Computer, continuing log.  And if Doctor Marcus is right about their new explosives,

my next decisionsmay be as limited as they are… inevitable.

 

Door CHIMES.

KIRK  

Come in, beautiful.

 

Bones saunters in wearily…

BONES  

Sounds like you were expecting someone else.

Doc crosses to bottles in a small wet bar across from the Captain’s desk,  mixes,  pours for two.

KIRK

 Please, by all means, help yourself.

A fritzed WALL SCREEN PINGS ON… Spock in ENGINEERING…

SPOCK (filtered)

 Status report, sir.

 

KIRK

(takes glass from Bones)

Go.

 

SPOCK (filtered)

We are sensor blind port side.  Deflector’s down thirty percent.  Fire control damaged but—

KIRK

 Long story short, Spock.  Weapons and warp.

Scotty nudges INTO VIEW by Spock, pushes back safety goggles.

SCOTTY (filtered)

We’ll crank ‘er up as good as she’s got but I’d be happier with a

few weeks in spacedock.  Preferably one with a comfortable, well-stocked pub.

 

KIRK  

I’ll see what I can do.  Spock, swing by my quarters when you’re done.

Kirk snaps off screen, pauses before he drinks…

KIRK

Maybe I shouldn’t.

BONES

 You’re wound up tight as an Andorian snare, Captain Sir.  Consider it

doctor’s orders.

Kirk takes a sip, reacts to its potency.

KIRK

 One of your better prescriptions. 

(beat, considers)

And shouldn’t I be a little tense, fate of the galaxy and all?

BONES

 I’m not talking interstellar war.  They come and go.

Off Kirk’s non-plussed look…

BONES  (cont'ing)

There are no regulations against romance, Jim.

KIRK

Spock thinks my feelings for Carol— hell, her feelings for me—

are distracting me from the important things.  He wants her transferred.

BONES  

I know.

KIRK

He told you?

BONES

 The other day in the turbo lift.  Out of the blue. 

Told him he had a dirty little mind for a Vulcan.

Kirk laughs softly, drinks.

KIRK

You think she’s a distraction?

BONES: 

‘Course she is. 

(raises drink; sincere) 

Finest kind.

Kirk nods in agreement, they clink glasses.

BONES (CONT’D)

I think there’s just something about deep space.  My God, I heard even that curmudgeon

Matt Decker, Commodore on the Constellation — you know him — married his damn first officer,

young lady from Hanks Landing on Mars.  He says, "fifth time's the charm."

KIRK

Sometimes I know the feeling.

BONES

Then there were your…

Thinks better than going there…

KIRK: 

My mom and dad.  Well, we know how that ended.  Maybe Spock’s

got a point, so to speak.  Or maybe I’m just not the marrying kind.

 The cabin door OPENS, Carol ENTERS… easy familiarity…

CAROL

Jim, I was just thinking, you’d better have something to eat while you—

She stops short—

CAROL  (cont'ing)

Oh, Leonard.  I can come back.

BONES

 No, no.  Join us, darlin’.  We were just talking about you.

KIRK

(a tired warning)

 Bones—

CAROL

 What about me precisely?

Bones pours another drink, hands it to her as she sits.

BONES

 About how Mister Spock wants you out of his Captain’s hair.

KIRK  

Bones!

CAROL

Oh, that.

KIRK

You know, too?

CAROL

Everybody knows.

BONES

 How’d you find out?

CAROL

He told me.  The other day in the Officer’s Mess.

She smiles at Jim.

CAROL (cont'ing)

 I’m a distraction.

KIRK

 So much for his legendary rectitude. 

Kirk looks deeply at Carol, significantly…

KIRK: 

Carol, do you have something to offer me?  That'll make me relax?

Something implied hangs in the air…

CAROL

 Pardon?

She shifts uncomfortably…

CAROL (cont'ing)

I know you two are best of mates and share everything but

Jim, isn’t that a rather… personal question?

Bones makes no attempt to hide his mirth. 

Kirk shoots him an annoyed look, turns back to Carol.

KIRK

 The protomatter?  The protomatter!

CAROL

 Oh that.  Oh.  Well—

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

Spock strides from a lift to the command chair.  Sulu makes to stand but Spock gestures him to remain seated.

SPOCK

 I’m on my way to the Captain.  Report, please, Mister Sulu.

SULU

Nothing to report, Mister Spock.  She’s just hanging there.

Spock and Sulu stare at the looming silent K’Manta on the VIEW SCREEN.  Eerie, foreboding.  Spock glances at Uhura.

UHURA

 Not a peep.

SPOCK  

Very well.

Spock crosses for the other lift. Uhura takes a moment, rushes to join him…

UHURA

Commander, a moment of your time.

 

TURBO LIFT

As the doors slide shut behind Uhura.

SPOCK

 Lift, hold.

UHURA

Spock, I know my timing could be better but I have to know. 

Do you, uh, have an answer?  What we talked about?

Off Spock’s maddening neutral, vaguely quizzical stare…

UHURA (cont'ing))

 To what I… proposed.  Between us?

SPOCK

 Nyota.  We stand on the brink of potential war with a very violent adversarial force. 

The fortunes of the Federation itself depend on what every member of this crew does next or fails to do. 

Personal matters have no place in these extreme circumstances.

UHURA

 But my hopes do.  That’s what gets us through tough times like these, high hopes…

  (beat, turns to restart lift back to bridge) 

I’m sorry, I should get back.

Spock touches her arm gently.

SPOCK

Yes.  My answer is yes.

She turns back to him, a beatific smile grows warm, wide.

UHURA  

Spock…  I don’t know what to say—

SPOCK

Sarek has given me Kalith’ Gol.

UHURA

(giddy)  

Kalith— what?

SPOCK

Normally, it’s a mother’s blessing for union.  And I have spoken to the elder Spock. 

He has offered to personally officiate at the ceremony on New Vulcan —

provided your family can make the voyage.

UHURA  

You mean, if we all survive this.

SPOCK

 I have… high hopes.

She draws him close, goes to kiss him… Spock quietly pulls away, takes hold of her hand… and runs two fingers over hers.

UHURA

Spock, you’ve made me so happy.

The doors slide open and she starts back to the bridge.

SPOCK  

Nyota, perhaps it would be for the best if we kept this to ourselves.  For now.

UHURA

 Of course.  But you are going to ask Jim— that is, the Captain, to be your best man?

SPOCK

(uncertain what she means)

 He is the best man I know.

She shakes her head, can’t get rid of that smile.

UHURA

 Oh, and Spock, do me a little favor?  Please?  Cut him and Carol some slack. 

We aren’t the only ones who deserve some happiness in this mixed up universe.

The door closes behind her.

ON THE BRIDGE

Watching Uhura return, Sulu and Chekov share a look.

SULU

 Uhura, you okay?  You’re positively… well, beaming.

CHEKOV  

Glowink, ewen, I’d say, Lieutenant.

She turns all business, takes her post, her ear piece.

UHURA

All decks report emergency alert status.  Station by station.

 Section One-B, bridge support crew, Mister Bowen?

 

TURBO LIFT

Spock stares blankly ahead… then sags a little against the bulkhead…

SPOCK

 Happiness…?  Really?

The lift STOPS, door opens and two crew ENTER. 

Spock straightens himself, his tunic, and EXITS the lift.

 

SPACE

PITCHING and YAWING across the Enterprise saucer section.... CLOSING ON the spearhead bow of K’Manta.  The Klingon ship’s bridge blast shield YAWNS OPEN REVEALING  a wide view port splayed with blood and THREE figures— elite KLINGON WARRIORS staring into space…

 

INT.  K’MANTA  -  BRIDGE

The backs of the three warriors are silhouetted against the gleaming hull of the Enterprise ON SCREEN

KLINGON WARRIOR

(in Klingoni, subtitled)

 We outgun them ten to one.

KLINGON COMMANDER (O.S.)

(in Klingoni, subtitled):

Patience.  Vigilance.  My orders come directly from him.

The warrior, fierce with crazy eyes, the self-proclaimed Lord KRUGE, wheels on....

.... his exotic, brooding brute of a Commander, KANG, in his throne-command chair…

KANG  (cont'ing)

(in Klingoni, subtitled)

     Orders you will obey without question, Scull-Lieutenant Kruge,

my hard-working Political Officer.

KRUGE

(in Klingoni, subtitled)

 Lord Kruge, Commander Kang.    And, in case you have forgotten, his

favorite nephew.

The K’Manta bridge is lit dim red, narrowly lined with armored Space-Navy tacticians — an old, creaking vessel too long out on patrol.  Kruge approaches his superior…

KRUGE

(in Klingoni, subtitled): 

Four thousand throats can be cut in one night by a running man.

Kruge and his two Operatives sweep from the bridge....

.... as the Commander considers, leans forward, stares at the Enterprise…


	4. Tomorrow Never Knows (Screenplay Continued)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously:  After a mission, to the gangster planet Sigma Iotia, is a bust, Captain Kirk leads the Enterprise crew into a disaster situation on mysterious Organia where Super-Beings enforced peace between Kirk and his enemy, the Klingon Admiral Kor .  But a Klingon fleet has firebombed Organia with what arms specialist Carol Marcu claims is the banned apocalyptic explosive PROTOMATTER and though Kirk defeats their fleet with smarts and cunning, the final warship prepares a protomatter blast for Enterprise.  However, before they fire, the ship is destroyed by an unknown ornate Klingon ordering Enterprise to stand to and “wait”.  In his cabin, Jim muses over drinks with Bones about decisions that could lead to war… and love. His relationship with Carol is proving a strain with Spock who deems her a “distraction” the Captain can’t afford, an opinion Carol’s heard first hand from the Exec himself.  Spock’s personal life, though, has grown equally complicated, accepting Uhura’s proposal for Union, partly as a means of assuring her high hopes for a better future.  Meanwhile, aboard the Klingon Commander, Kang, finds himself at odds with his political officer, Lord Kruge, both of them having a mysterious master to answer to. 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  KIRK’S CABIN

Kirk, Bones, and Carol are gathered around the monitor on the Captain’s desk — a rotating dimensional scan of the K’Manta.

KIRK    
You’re sure that monster’s clean?

CAROL   
A protomatter signature is so strong it— even with their shields and countermeasures,  
I’d see it.

KIRK    
Yet they attacked one of their own knowing the risk.  Makes no damn sense.

BONES  
You expect Klingons to make sense? Our kinda "sense"?

CAROL   
I’ll need a specialty team to put the pieces together.  Ensigns Chekov and Tomlinson have  
the tech and tac expertise.  And Cady Riker in astrophysics knows her stuff.

The door’s CHIMED and Spock’s already ENTERED during this…

KIRK  
  Clear them through Mister Spock.  He’s very forthright in his opinions. Uh, Carol…

She hears the slight change in his tone, gets up, hands Spock her data recorder as she leaves…

SPOCK    
Thank you, Lieutenant.

As he scans her recorder, she pauses by the door—

CAROL   
Commander, perhaps one evening, you and Nyota would like to join Jim and I  
for dinner and a movie on the rec deck. That is, presuming we get out of this alive.

Spock regards her stone-faced, looks at Jim.

But Kirk just hides a small smile.

SPOCK  
By that you mean—?

 

CAROL  
A double date.  Next week they’re showing a remastered holographic twentieth century   
Earth classic, and a favorite of mine called “Love Story." You do know, Mr. Spock,   
love means never having to say you’re sorry.

She smiles at him pleasantly, spins on a heel and leaves with a sultry bounce in her step to assure her Kirk's attention.

Spock turns to Kirk and Bones.  He’s ice....

SPOCK  
Sounds like fun.

Kirk gestures for him to sit as he pulls on his gold command tunic, grows serious…

KIRK   
Gentlemen, I regret that I’ve had to keep certain things from you regarding our present situation   
but I had my orders direct from the Admiralty.    
(to Spock)  
That run of the mill Code 11 I received before we left for Iotia? 

SPOCK  
The monthly Admirals' sector by sector update. Marked, if I recall, as having a diplomatic   
packet attached?

KIRK  
My Eyes Only. That is, unless circumstanced forced my hand. Consider my hand  
forced by the Klingons, their new explosive weapon and that battle cruiser hanging   
out there. 

BONES  
Y'mean, things are gonna get worse.worse?   
(shakes his head)  
Well, of course they're gonna get worse. What was I thinking? This Jim Kirk's Enterprise.

KIRK  
(ignores McCoy's sarcasm)  
  For several months the espionage arm of, what they tell me, is the new and improved   
Section Thirty-One has deciphered reliable subspace chatter and some more material   
evidence of a definitive Klingon all or nothing offensive against key Federation targets. 

BONES  
Well, I’d say what we just went through more or less qualifies that they're game, war-hungry  
bastards. So, you're gonna deal us in, Captain?

KIRK  
I am going to activate the buoy.  I need two senior officers to concur.

Spock and Bones exchange glances, look at Jim… they don’t have to say a word.

Kirk nods, turns to his monitor, calls up a three - dimensional schematic of a space probe alive with data, marked as LOADED. 

KIRK (cont'ing)  
Computer, voiceprint.

COMPUTER VOICE    
Enabled.  Working.  Verify.

KIRK    
Kirk, James T,. Captain. Commanding USS Enterprise, NCC-One-Seven-Oh-One,   
Starfleet…  Sierra Charlie Niner-Three-Seven Oh-One-Seven-Six   
Charlie Echo Charlie.  Encode to Admiral “Lewis N. Clark.” Three Triple   
Zero One. Romeo-Foxtrot-LaGrange Zulu-Whiskey-Zulu.    
Transmit.

Looks between the three friends and Officers....

BONES  
(very serious now)  
McCoy, Leonard H.. Lieutenant Commander Chief Medical Officer and ship's primary   
surgeon. USS Enterprise. Starfleet. For the record, I agree with Captain James   
Kirk. Zulu-Whiskey-Zulu-Foxtrot. Transmit.

As Bones absently, unhappily picks up his nearly empty glass, Kirk and Spock stare, very grim, at one another...

Then Spock gives his Captain a small nod.

SPOCK  
Spock, Commander. Chief science officer and Captain James Kirk's Executive  
Officer. USS Enterprise. Starfleet. For the record, I agree, repeat - - agree -  
with Captain Kirk. Zulu-Whiskey-Zulu-Foxtrot-Tango. Transmit.

They each know that things may never be the same…

COMPUTER VOICE:   
Transmitted. Carrier Signal Charlie-Alpha-Quebec. Seven-Four-Seven-One.  
Ready to launch buoy. Standing by for final Confirm.

KIRK  
Confirmed. Launch now. Spock?

SPOCK  
Exec complies.

KIRK    
Launch and activate the buoy.

 

SPACE  - USS ENTERPRISE IN STAND-OFF WITH KLINGON EMPEROR-K'MANTA WARSHIP 

A SPACE BUOY emblazoned with Starfleet insignia DETACHES from beneath the Enterprise in a FLARE of explosive bolts... 

It jets away quickly....

 

INT. K'MANTA BRIDGE (or, COMMAND CENTER) - CLOSE ON COMMANDER KANG

Kang watches the forward wallscreen intently...

HIS POV  
as the Enterprise Starfleet bouy disappears.

 

KLINGON TAC (O.S.)  
(in Klingoni; subtitled)  
Probe trajectory nine at five by six - - two - - 

ON THE KLINGON'S TACTICS STATION

Several Command Center OFFICERS , including one female, from sciences, MARA, crowd around the Tac's Kodarscope's screen....

MARA  
(looks over shoulder to Kang)  
But why? That's empty space. There is nothing there!

ON KANG

Staring at the starship Enterprise he's up against....

KANG  
That's no probe.

 

SPACE - HORSEHEAD NEBULA 

The Enterprise buoy BOBS as it slowly SPINS in the void… a top-side light BLINKS… then turns RED and FLASHES in URGENT staccato, Morse-S-Basic…

 

SPACE  -  EPSILON NINE TRANSMISSION STATION

A lengthy filigree of solar and sensor panels wheels through the cosmos with balletic grace.  Spacecraft, Starfleet and civilian, come and go as workers in EVA suits buzz all around the superstructure making repairs. MOVE IN ON…

 

EPSILON NINE LISTENING POST  -  VIEW PORT

A large, outer detachable pod ringed with hundreds of sensor dishes. MOVE IN ON a view port....

 

INT.  EPSILON NINE TRANSMISSION STATION  -  LISTENING POST

Lit only with monitor screens manned by Starfleet techs.  SOUND TRAFFIC BUZZES from across the galaxy…

One screen WINKS OFF… then FLASHES a CASCADE of data…

The MONITOR’S OPERATOR TRIES TO MAKE HEADS OR TAILS, leans back, looks off…

MONITOR OPERATOR  
Terry, break out the book.

CLOSE ON TABLETOP

As a leather-spined book, old and thick, is cracked open.  A hand FLIPS through pages… columns of numbers…  codes…

TERRY (O.S.):    
Romeo-Foxtrot-LaGrange-Zulu-Whis…  
Finds it.…

Terry and the Monitor Op share a look…

MONITOR OPERATOR  
That’s Section Thirty-One.  And there’s a lingua-squall attached.

TERRY    
Holy sh—  Scramble immediately — Admiral “Lewis N.Clark,” then on tight   beam: Juliet-Tango-Kilo One-Seven-Oh-One. Authenticity Alfa. Encoded: L Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. 

 

EXT.  STARRY SKY  -  NIGHT 

A human-sized INSECTOID with fluttering wings glows like a firefly AGAINST THE STARS, dances in MID AIR as she DESCENDS to familiar MUSIC  — Debussy, Clair de Lune…  TILT   
DOWN REVEALS….

A sprawling ALIEN JUNGLE world....SUPER :  CLASS M PLANET CANOPUS CATULLUS

 

AN ENORMOUS JUNGLE TREE

Alive with MOVING SENTIENT BRANCHES — half-way up, ringing the trunk, a wide OPERA BOX of woven fronds….

 

IN THE ARBOREAL OPERA BOX

The CANOPUSIAN REGENT, an elegant, dignified praying mantis in grand robes, observes the air dancer backed by a delegation of Federation DIGNITARIES.  Among them…  
Admiral “Lewis N. Clark”, late 40s, lean, mean and very smart.

An unmarked Starfleet SHUTTLE SLOWS by the Opera Box and the Admiral’s Aide, “OTTUMWA”, a slim, strong woman, 30s, with cropped dark hair,  hops out,  approaches.. . 

Speaking In hushed tones…

ADMIRAL “CLARK”:  You enjoy Debussy, Commander?

COMMANDER ‘OTTUMWA"     
Actually, I prefer The Beatles, sir.    
(significantly)    
You know? Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. 

The Admiral’s features cloud over, grow grim.

ADMIRAL “CLARK    
Encoded JTK?   
(beat; think)   
I’ll have to ask permission to leave.

The Admiral sidles up to one of the Regent’s staffers, then the Regent itself…

Aide “Ottumwa” watches the Admiral exchange complicated gestures… CUT TO:

 

The Admiral leads his Aide back to the silently hovering shuttle as their security falls in…

COMMANDER “OTTUMWA”    
The Yorktown’s en route to take us to the fleet rendering at Three Five Nine.

As they climb aboard shuttle, the Admiral glances back, watches the airborne Canopusian dancer in eerie free fall…

ADMIRAL”CLARK”    
She’ll end with a pirouette… takes your breath away.

HOLD ON “Clark”…

 

EXT.  CANOPUS CATULLUS  -  JUNGLE  -  NIGHT

The shuttle skims the full tree tops… PULLS UP higher into sky…

 

INT.  UNMARKED STARFLEET SHUTTLE  -  TRAVELING  -  NIGHT

As the pilot seals the cockpit, “Lewis Clark” unstraps himself, heads to the rear compartment.  Aide “Ottumwa” is the only other passenger.

“OTTUMWA” (off PADD)    
We’re clear of local comm-traffic.

ADMIRAL “CLARK”    
I’m using the blister anyway.

In a cubicle at end of aisle, “Clark” climbs a short ladder INTO…

SHUTTLE BLISTER

Like a tail gunner’s bubble.  “Clark” straps in, fixes ear piece as the atmosphere outside curved plexi-window THINS into SPACE.....

ADMIRAL “CLARK”   
Activate protection protocols.  Secure channel, please. 

At a soft BEEP…

ADMIRAL “CLARK”  
  Thirty One, Field. “Lewis N. Clark” With A Little Help From My Friends, “Corpus Christi,”  “Malibu,”   
“Tonawanda,” “Wichita,” “Baltimore,” “Las Vegas,” “Amity.”  All  confirm.  Romeo-Foxtrot, shall we   
dance?

 

SPACE

Admiral “Lewis Clark“‘s unmarked shuttle WHIPS past as it heads for the incoming Constitution class USS Yorktown, NCC-1717…

 

(to be continued…)


	5. STAR TREK  Tomorrow Never Knows - - screenplay (continued)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously: After Captain Kirk's playful gambling screws the pooch on a mission to Sigma Iotia, nearly losing his lover, Dr. Carol Marcus, in a card game, the USS Enterprise hightails it to a disaster situation on the planet Organia whose super-being Overlords enforced a treaty between Kirk and his old adversary Klingon Admiral Kor a year ago. But Organia has been destroyed by a Klingon fleet using what Marcus identifies as PROTOMATTER, an apocalyptic substance. Tthey’re ultimately saved from a protomatter blast by an unidentified Kling battle cruiser, the K'Manta, which orders Kirk to await parlay. Discussing the situation privately with Spock and Bones, Kirk reveals that Starfleet’s secret intelligence organization, Section 31, has been aware of a likely all-out Klingon assault for months. Kirk decides to “activate the buoy,” sending a status update and a recommendation for war to the mercurial lean and mean cold warrior “Admiral Lewis Clark,” an agent of Section 31 given special dispensation to take command of the Federation’s First Fleet, a battalion of starships massing to enforce a blockade and eventual counter-offensive of Klingon space.

SPACE - K'MANTA

MOVE ACROSS its heavy engine emplacement topside…

INT. K'MANTA - ENGINEERING

Frozen pipes, hot steam, over size vents choking smoke. Commander Kang, back by VALKYRIES, his female bodyguard, the striking MARA leads them, stalks a line of tanks filled with dilithium in sickly green fluid. He’s dogged by his engines master, weary KOVOLOK.

KANG  

(in Klingoni; subtitled)

Your engineers appear sick and weak. As do you, Kovolok.

Klingon engineers in their dirty HAZMATs, helmets, backpacks labor like exhausted servants.

KOVOLOK

(in Klingoni; subtitled):

It is just the radiation, sir.

KANG

(in Klingoni; subtitled):

Your weakness reflects poorly on this vessel. You’ll have fresh air soon enough.

KRUGE’S VOICE

(on speaker; in Klingon):

Commander! Bridge!

 

INT. K'MANTA - BRIDGE

As Kang arrives, backed by Valkyrie Mara, and is met by Kruge and his men.

KRUGE

(in Klingon; subtitled

:New orders! Sir!

Kruge hands over a data stick which Kang plugs in to his chair’s arm rest, scans monitor, as he assumes command throne…

KANG

(in Klingon; subtitled):

Full intensity  in twenty cycles.

(to Kruge)

No doubt he came to this decision fully of his own accord.

KRUGE

(in Klingon; subtitled)

As his political adviser, II am certain I hold no more influence over him or our Clan than you, Commander Kang.

Kruge smiles a weird, troubling smile…

KRUGE

(in Klingon; subtitled; cont'd)

And no less. Vigilance, remember?

Kang glances at Mara at Security station.

She stands tall opposite Kruge.

The commander gestures to his Valkyrie and she hits comm.

KANG

(in Klingon; subtitled):

Kovolok! Engines! At my command!

 

INT. K'MANTA - ENGINEERING

Kovolok hangs his head at the order, stubs out odd little cigarette.

He claps his hands at crew, points to stations as he barks procedure…

 

INT. USS ENTERPRISE - KIRK’S CABIN

Comm WHISTLES….

SULU’S VOICE

 (filtered over comm):

Activity on the warship, sir.

Kirk, Spock and Bones are already EXITING the Captain’s quarters…

KIRK

As the fleet's flagship and with our experiences on their home world,

we should be leading the blockade of the Klingon frontier

 

INT.  ENTERPRISE CORRIDOR  (CONTINUOUS)

KIRK (cont'ing):

But my gut tells me that ship out there might hold some of

our answers. We’re going to follow their lead for now.

MOVING with Kirk, Spock and Bones through a MAZE OF CORRIDORS AND WALKWAYS Busy with industrious crew. Kirk stops here and there to inspect repairs.

BONES:

You’re joking. You’re gonna let these goons call the shots?

SPOCK

(almost frustrated)

Doctor, as a physician you are a man of science therefore your woeful lack of

intellectual curiosity regarding our adversaries’ anthropology is utterly confounding to me.

BONES

We know just who and what we’re dealing with. Their invasions and oppressions.

Slave labor camps. The crushing of any hint of dissent. Pagan blood rituals–

KIRK

You deny of that, Spock?

SPOCK

(carefully)

Though a broad generalization, yes, the doctor is essentially correct. The Klingons are

driven by militarism, a sense of racial superiority and, something else your ancestors understood - - d

elusions of Manifest Destiny – only on a galactic scale. However, I also believe that

a basic assumption about their society as a whole is deeply flawed.

KIRK

Explain.

SPOCK

Deep under cover suggests that what we consider an empire is actually more a loose alliance of

ancient powerful families, also called Clans, motivated by greed, scientific expediency and the merciless imposition of

public policy. Their alliances are unpredictable, an arcane political dance in which Clans routinely fall from favor with their

planetary centralized government to the point of being ostracized. Indeed, even criminalized.

They are not a monolithic force as feared but a dangerously unbalanced obsolescence.

Kirk ’s half-smile – strategic smarts…

KIRK

Pride and prejudice. Could be their Achilles’ heel.

A low HUM becomes a sustained high SQUEAL and the deck is pulled from beneath them! Kirk, Spock and Bones are thrown against a bulkhead–!

BONES

What the hell–?!

KIRK AND SPOCK

Tractor beam. 

 

INT. USS ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE

Kirk, Spock and Bones RUSH in– klaxons BLARE, the bridge TILTS port forward!

UHURA

Klingons jamming all challenges, Captain.

Spock reads data FLASHING on a glass wall panel.

SPOCK

We have to break free. Now!

Sulu aims a computerized bull’s eye on the K'Manta’s main sensor pod.

SULU

Torpedo barrage ready.

CHEKOV

Escape wector plotted, maximum varp.

Kirk considers, slams intercom…

KIRK

Engineering! Shut down all power!

CUT TO :

 

INT.  ENTERPRISE/ENGINEERING ROOM

Scotty is directing his team, a little frantically, as various stations burst with steam and electric energy - -  a result of the tractor beam. 

SCOTTY

Say again, bridge?!

 

ON THE BRIDGE

The crew shares their disbelief, looking at each other with uncertainty...

KIRK

Everything but auxiliary and basic life support. Make us look helpless.

(to self)

Klingon overconfidence.

Kirk leans between helm and nav…

KIRK (cont'ing)

Sulu, Chekov, reroute weapons and shields through some system they won’t notice. Water reclamation or the…

I dunno, the bowling alley on the rec deck, say. I want immediate access. Spock, run combat drills but–

(to Uhura)

Lieutenant, ship-wide. We are to take no provocative action.  

And make sure the Kling  can hear and understand every word.

UHURA

(uncertain):

Aye, aye, sir.

She glances at Spock....

Spock glanes back with seeming assuredness.

Ushura works her comm but keeps eyes forward…

Kirk, all his crew, watch…

The VIEW SCREEN as the K'Manta sweeps around, heads away… and draws the Enterprise along… Bones comes up close to the Captain.

KIRK

I got ‘em just

BONES:

You’re taking a big gamble, Jim.

KIRK

I'm well aware, doctor.  But tell me, you ever see me lose a game of poker? 

BONES

No.  But I don't think that's the Klingons' game. Something' I figured out from watching

ole Jo Jo Kracko.  Well-meaning humans play cards to win.  But these Kling, they're more suited to the roll of a dice.

Just remember that.  The Kling play for craps. 

As Bones wanders from the bridge, Kirk slides into his chair… notices Spock watching him.

Kirk smiles at Spock with a school boy's confidence.... that he damn wells knows the Vulcan has no time for...

KIRK

Sit back, Mister Spock, and enjoy the ride. Mister Sulu...

steady as she goes…

SPACE

The K'Manta RUMBLES past… the Enterprise in a slow TUMBLE behind it… 

 


	6. STAR TREK  Tomorrow Never Knows - - screenplay (continued)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Enterprise finds Organia destroyed. That world’s overlords enforced a treaty between Kirk (Chris Pine) and the Klingon Kor (Michael Fassbender) on behalf of their forces AKlingon fleet  has eradicated that accord by firebombing Organia with a banned apocalyptic explosive substance that Lieutenant Carol Marcus (Alice Eve) identifies as protomatter.  Kirk’s combat skills knock out most of the enemy fleet but the last Klingon warship prepares to fire a protomatter blast at the Enterprise… and is itself destroyed by an arriving ornate Kling battle cruiser, the K’Manta  which orders the Enterprise to await parlay.  Kirk confides with Spock (Zachary Quinto) and McCoy (Karl Urban) that Section 31 learned of an offensive by the Empire against Federation targets; an invasion. Kirk orders a dispatch to his Section 31 contact “Admiral Lewis Clark” (Reed Diamond) recommending a war footing. Spock and McCoy argue the nature of their enemy and while Spock doesn’t entirely disagree with Bones’ consensus that the Klingons are driven by totalitarian militarism, he reveals that their Empire is just a collection of clans vying for power. Their ship is suddenly dragged by the K’Manta’s tractor beam.  Kirk orders no resistance....

SPACE - STAR SECTOR WOLF

WHIP PAN with the USS Yorktown as it approaches…

Red dwarf star Wolf 359 and, against it, the silhouettes of Starfleet CRUISERS, akin to Enterprise, several compact CORVETTES built for speed, two massive CARRIERS, wide exposed decks lined with heavy armored SHUTTLECRAFT, combat ready.

USS YORKTOWN  COMM’S VOICE

(filtered)  

First Fleet, USS Yorktown on approach, NCC One-Seven-One-Seven., Captain  Harry Edgerton commanding,

Carrying aboard, Admiral Lewis Clark, C-in-C.  Our prefix code is one-eight-nine-zero.  Mark.

 

SUPER:  RED DWARF WOLF 359 - CONSTELLATION LEO, ECLIPTIC - CO-ORDINATES 04/08/64/13

 

INT.  USS YORKTOWN - BRIDGE

As “Admiral Lewis Clark” and his aide “Ottumwa” ENTER from turbolift…

“OTTUMWA”

Admiral on the bridge!

Bridge officers stand to, waved off by “Clark.”

"ADMIRAL CLARK”

As you were.

All return to work stations, save the Yorktown’s Captain HARRY ‘EDGE” EDGERTON, middle-aged, black, suspicious by nature.

CAPTAIN “EDGE”

I trust you and your aide found your quarters agreeable, Admiral.

“ADMIRAL CLARK”

Perfectly, Captain, but I won’t be using them much, I expect, for the next

seventy-two hours. Otherwise, I’ll expect complete privacy.

CAPTAIN “EDGE”

Of course, sir.  Ready to get under way.

"ADMIRAL CLARK”

All present and accounted for?

CAPTAIN “EDGE

Potemkin’s still an hour out.  Had to chase off a Klingon marauder from one of our mining conveys

near Janus.  But Commodore Cartwright says he’ll be on time for the party.

“Lewis” looks at Fleet status readouts scrolling, flashing on MAIN VIEWER.

“ADMIRAL CLARK”

Where’s the Akula?

CAPTAIN “EDGE”

They’ve already jumped to target sectors.

“ADMIRAL CLARK”

On whose authority?

CAPTAIN “EDGE”

Captain O’Connell herself.   Thought a forward scout would be… advantageous.

“ADMIRAL CLARK”

Jenny sure builds up a head a steam, don’t she?  Damn thing is, she’s usually right.

CAPTAIN “EDGE”

Any word on the Enterprise?

“ADMIRAL CLARK”

 If they’re still out there,  Kirk’s running silent.  Patch me through fleet-wide, Harry.

"Edge" glances at his Comm Officer....

CAPTAIN “EDGE”

You’re on, Admiral.

”ADMIRAL CLARK”

This is Admiral Lewis Clark taking command of the fighting First.  The enemy has very deceitfully

taken advantage of our good graces and declared unconditional war on our United Federation of Planets.

SPACE   -  WOLF 359

Yorktown moves through First Fleet…

“ADMIRAL CLARK“‘S VOICE

They have firebombed Organia, eradicating all extant treaties.

 

INTERCUT:  “CLARK” ON YORKTOWN/COMMAND CENTERS VARIOUS SHIPS

Bridge crews and their Captains LISTEN to the “Admiral“‘S VOICE as they make ready for departure and possible combat…

"ADMIRAL CLARK”

And though we’ve repelled assaults on Starbases Thirty-Six and Two-Three-Four, the Klingons have

destroyed the Lapidus VLA and taken our colonies near Japori, Sherman’s Planet and member worlds

Tesla Prime and Cassius Messalina.  Three of our starships have broken up an attack wing hiding

in the Shadow of Osiris but… 

(significant beat) 

We have lost contact with the Cheyenne and the Enterprise and must presume the worst.

Grave looks between the Yorktown’s HELM and NAV as “Clark” walks the upper deck of the bridge…

 

CONTINUE INTERCUTTING with FIRST FLEET OFFICERS, VARIOUS SHIPS

“ADMIRAL CLARK”

On my mark, we will proceed at warp eight to the outer boundary now coded Pike Sierra and form a

blockade as we await reinforcements for our counter-offensive.  Any approaching Klingon vessel that

fails to surrender and heave to will be disabled or destroyed  — be they military… or civilian.

REACTIONS to this from “Edge,” Commanders of other ships… frowns… resigned nods… a vicious smirk…

“ADMIRAL CLARK”

 We, the ships of the First gathered here at Wolf Three-Five-Nine, are the best, highest hope the

Federation has at this moment of unprecedented conflict.  Every one of you is an exemplar of civilization

over chaos, essential nobility of spirit over brutal oppression.  You may  taste blood before we’re done but

you will know victory.  You are Starfleet.

(to Captain “Edge”) 

Play the music.

YORKTOWN NAV

(sotto; to Helm)

We’re gonna play music?

Nearby, “Ottumwa” overhears, smiles a hint of pride…

“OTTUMWA”

(to Yorktown Helm and Nav)

The Admiral… appreciates ritual.  And it scares the hell out of the Kling. 

They're not partial to anything with a melody.

MUSIC PLAYS over speakers, a rousing orchestral “Wild Blue Yonder.” 

The “Admiral” stares ahead at the outlying stars.

“ADMIRAL CLARK”

Take us out, Captain.  Armada formation Archer.  First Fleet, sound off! 

 

SPACE  -  WOLF 359

As the Yorktown takes point, “Wild Blue Yonder” MIXES with the VOICES of the Fleet as “Clark” counts down…

FLEET OFFICERS VOICES

(filtered; fritzed)

USS  Saratoga, NCC One-Niner-Eight-Six, Captain Margaret Sinclair commanding…

USS Excalibur, NCC  One-Six-Six-Four, Captain Gus Harris…

Andorian Adjutant Shranii, commanding USS Serengeti, NCC Niner-Oh-One…

Uh, this is O’Reilly, COB of the Uijeongbu, NCC Four-Oh-Seven-Seven, Captain Blake is currently indisposed…

The starships fall into a Delta-Vee alongside the Yorktown…

FLEET OFFICERS” VOICES (CONT”D)

USS Sagan, Six-Niner-Six, Captain Sharif El Fiesel… 

Carrier USS Charles Tucker, NCC One-Oh-One-One, stands ready, Captain Kaye Howard…

USS Republic, NCC One-Three-Seven-One, Commander Ben Finney here, in command…

As the Fleet moves into deep space, growing smaller, the MUSIC and VOICES are overwhelmed by the STAR NOISE from Wolf 359…

FLEET OFFICERS’ VOICES ‘(CONT’D)

USS Reliant, NCC One-Eight-Six-Four, First Officer Terrell commanding absent Captain Giardello…

USS Exeter, NCC One-Six-Seven-Two, Captain Ronald Tracey in Command…

USS Heisenberg, NCC…

“ADMIRAL CLARK“‘S  VOICE

And, three… two… one… Mark.

The starships FLARE to WARP… then there’s just empty space…

 

SPACE  -  K’MANTA

A BLAST of explosive bolts from the warship’s hull…!

And Enterprise FALLS into orbit of misshapen ASTEROID…

 

INT.  USS ENTERPRISE  -  BRIDGE

LURCHES forward…

SPOCK

(off monitor)

 Fascinating…

CAROL

That doesn’t do it justice, Mister Spock.  Look…

She rushes to his station, calls up dimensional scan of the asteroid...

Colored flares shroud the space rock.

CAROL (CONT’D)

Here… here… and here… every goddamn where.

As Kirk joins Spock and Carol, Bones and Scotty hurry onto the bridge. 

Sulu and Chekov work their stations…

SULU

Inertial dampeners enabled and steady.

(OVERLAPPING)

CHEKOV

Slow spiral orbit on manual as ordered, Captain.

SPOCK’S STATION

Carol’s fingers poke at the mid-air holo-map…

CAROL

 I’ve never seen anything like it.

SPOCK

 The Tilium near Dimorus—

CAROL

But that’s a naturally occurring phenomenon.  This is man-made, agreed?

SPOCK

Artificial, yes.  Made by man?  Unknown.

BONES:

Something you two want to share with the rest of the class?

KIRK

 I’m assuming the Klingons dropped us off here for a reason. 

That is our destination, Spock, this asteroid?

SPOCK

In other circumstances, I wouldn’t think so.

Off Kirk’s look…

SPOCK (CONT’D)

There is no there there.

KIRK

 Are you trying to be funny, Spock?

BONES AND SCOTTY AND CAROL

 It would never occur to hm.

Kirk throws an “I give up” gesture.

SPOCK

Aside from a minor gravity flux, our sensors indicate no celestial body

out there.  However—

CAROL

We are reading an elaborate net of micro beacons holding a rudimentary Class M environment together—

SPOCK

 And reflecting back, for all intent and purposes, a practical invisibility screen. 

And of unbelievable sophistication.

Kirk studies the asteroid on the VIEW SCREEN —

rotating unnaturally, erratically as meteors SMASH into it!

KIRK

Somebody doesn’t want to be found.

UHURA

(off ear-piece)

Captain, incoming… It’s in Klingon, Qu’Ashtar military-speak…

They are providing co-ordinates for you and Commander Spock 

to beam down.  Qu’Ashtar leaves no room to

question or negotiate.  It’s directed at subordinates.

KIRK

 They asked for Spock and me by name?

UHURA

Yes, sir.

BONES

That tears it.  Guess I’m comin’ with ya.

CAROL

  Very well.  Looks like I am, too.

SCOTTY

 It’s a trap, Cap’n.  Oldest enemy’s playbook.  None too subtle either.

Kirk glances at Carol, hint of a wink…

KIRK

 Neither am I, given the right circumstances.  Scotty, you’ve got the keys. 

And keep an eye on these two.  They mean well but they actually think

they can keep me out of trouble.  

Nods at Bones and Carol…

Off their shared scowls.....


	7. STAR TREK  Tomorrow Never Knows - - screenplay (continued)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part of the Federation's Starfleet, more than a dozen combat-ready starships, having rendezvous'd near the star Wolf 359, set off to the boundary between their space and that of the Klingon Empire to enforce a blockade as several triads of D-7 warships have already gone on the offense, crossed over, and have violently attacked Federation bases.  
> Meanwhile, in a far away sector of space, just barely within the Klingonii frontier, the imposing battle cruiser K'Manta has let the Enterprise free to take up orbit around an asteroid pummeled by meteors, though they fail to strike a semi-circular large fold of mountainous land. Spock and Lt. Marcus are amazed by the defensive screen on the space body which not only deflects anything incoming, but also generates and holds within a basic Class M planetary atmosphere. Then Uhura receives a terse, Klingon-military accented message from someone on the planet; they've ordered Kirk and Spock to beam down....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> remember: this material was written prior to, and served as some of the basis for, my epic serialized novel (next installment coming very soon) STAR TREK BEYOND FOREVER; therefore, certain names of places and people will be familiar to those with the other piece of writing, such as the registry of the Klingons advanced prototype warship.

EXT.  ASTEROID SURFACE - DUST STORM - DAY (TWILIGHT)

Tar-black wind SCREAMS and WHIPS rocky terrain into bizarre shapes BEFORE OUR VERY EYES!

In the twilight-green sky, the Enterprise in low orbit — as Kirk and Spock MATERIALIZE in protective desert gear, struggle against the STORM…

SPOCK

(off tricorder)  

Captain!  There!

He points OFF,  Kirk adjusts his infrared goggles…

.KIRK’S POV, GOGGLES:  Through the whirling grit, a PAGODA-TYPE CASTLE half-built, half-carved from a cliff-side — impossible angle.  Klingon Gothic.

KIRK

 I told Carol I’d take her on a pleasant scenic vacation some time soon.  Hope they’ve got

a heated pool and sauna.  She can be very particular.

At a weird BLEATING behind them, Kirk and Spock wheel around, pull phasers on—

KLINGON CAVALRY, insignia’d helmets heavy disruptor rifles and long knives, charge out of the storm of tar and ash and ride around them on lumbering-lithe WAR HOGS! - - like a weird and fierce mix of hippo, crocodile and stallion.

Their leader, obvious by his decorated uniform, reins his snarling mount before them Kirk and Spock retire their weapons— have them yanked away— 

Kirk throws a rider who comes in close behinh him a foul look- - and is answered with a heavy swing from the soldier's riding pike!

As Spock helps him back to his feet...  
.

SPOCK  

Renowned Klingon hospitality.

KIRK  

I thought you said they were misunderstood.

SPOCK

That doesn’t preclude them being terribly mean-spirited in general.

KIRK  

You mean they're assholes.

SPOCK  

I believe I said that.

 

 EXT.  ASTEROID SURFACE - CLIFF BASE - DUST STORM - DAY (TWILIGHT)

Kirk and Spock look up…

Craggy potential handholds lead WAYWAYWAAAAY UP to the pagoda…

KIRK  

They’ve got to be shittin’ us.

Kirk and Spock glance at

The Cavalry commander who looks up and up at the rocky cliff face with a strange grin....

The Klingon Cavaliers laugh with gusto!

SPOCK  

Apparently not.

He cups hands… Kirk climbs… Lowers a hand for Spock…

The Klingons, laughing, RIDE OFF in plumes of black ash…

 

CLIMBING  (SEQUENCE)

Kirk and Spock scale rock that, battered by fierce wind, SHIFTS SHAPE beneath and around them...

\- Kirk moves with quick and confident skill; an experienced rock climber

\-  Spock is slow and steady, more cautious and thoughtful than Jim, but just as confident

\- Kirk pushes off, leaps sideways over a crevasse, and grins as he finds purchase beneath him; but his next handhold slips through his fingers, dissolved by the harsh wind and he falls backward!

\- Spock moves almost in a flash, leaping the crevasse and shooting a hand out that grabs jim's ankle and he hauls him up; once side-by-side on the narrow precipice strip, Jim nods at Spock, "Thanks"- - and starts climbing again....

 

EXT.  CLIFF TOP - DAY (TWILIGHT)

One set of hands, then another come into view from below and behind rocks twisted at a nightmare angle.

Kirk and Spock climb and roll over onto a stretch of tilted flat earth....  they pull themselves up, careful about finding and keeping heir balance on what becomes a steep slant and, looking up, take a better look at....

THE PAGODA

Ominous, imposing, built in a series of sharp and dangerous, twisted angles....

 

INT.  KLINGON PAGODA - GREETING HALL  - DAY (TWILIGHT)

Kirk and Spock, coated with tar-dust, fall through heavy wooden doors.  They slap at their garb, sending up small clouds of dirt.

 KIRK

No one to meet us.  

He looks at Spock, shrugs...

KIRK  (continuing)

Maybe we should have rung the bell.

Spock frowns as he works tricorder.

Kirk moves through the vast greeting hall, watchful...

There is an array of stuffed animal heads along one wall.  Fearsome feral creatures: all fangs and scales and horns; beasts from the Klingon Capital planet Kronos and throughout their Empire... 

Kirks looks up:

A rocky staircase carved from the cliffside winds up many floor and the ceiling is hidden by shadows.  Hanging in the air on long pikes are various Klingon banners and flags, all of a distinctly military style.

SPOCK

(off readings)

Captain....  We are not alone.

They HEAR the sound of bare feet on stone..... getting louder....

Kirk returns to Spock's side, indicates his frustration that their weapons were taken.  They stand and wait as....

THREE KLINGON SERVING GIRLS emerge from the shadows, stopping before Kirk and Spock.  The girl leading carries a strange something, what appears to be a very long feather, red and black, almost like a peacock's tail feather.  She drops to one knee and offers the tail feather to Kirk.

Jim takes the offering, gives the girl a small smile - - she does not smile back.  She stands and gestures to the two other Klingon girls.

They step forward, each bearing a crystalline tray on both of which stand a crystal goblet filled with a reddish, thickish beverage.

Kirk and Spock swap glances and each picks a drinking glass.

The girl who gave Kirk the ceremonial tail feather claps her hands once and pointing forward, leads them on..... Kirk and Spock follow.... the other two girls bring up the rear....

 

INT.  KLINGON PAGODA - HALLWAY - DAY (TWILIGHT)

Twisting, turning - - the result of being built against a storm-battered cliff.

Spock remains focussed on his tricorder while Jim observes the details of their surroundings...

There's a row of holo 'portraits along the wall - - various Klingons, all male, some dignified, others clearly scary-crazy, all in military armor.

Jim absently takes a swallow of whatever's in his goblet - - and comes to an abrupt halt.  He wavers where he stands.

Spock looks at Jim, is about to ask- -

But his Captain gestures to Spock's goblet....

KIRK

Don't drink that. 

 

INT.  KLINGON PAGODA - AVIARY - DAY (TWILIGHT)

A strange bird, like an eagle crossed with a jackal,  flies UP CLOSE  in its cage space and SCREAMS!

Jim jumps a bit but Spock just swings around and points his scanner at the strange creature.

The lead serving girl touches the top button of her simple dress.  She speaks Klingoni but that button's a Universal Translator that reads aloud her words into Federation Basic.

SERVING GIRL # 1

This  is our Master's aviary.  He will attend you, Captain, once he has finished

feeding his collection.

Kirk looks down at her and nods and the three girls retreat, disappear into the lush off-world flora that surrounds them.

Looking around, Kirk and Spock see in various well-tended pens and alcoves, strange bird-like creatures from a hundred worlds....

SPOCK

Captain, I have made only a simple once-over, but I've  secured and confirmed 

readings on over one thousand species of  creatures that are entirely unknown to 

the Federation scientific record.

KIRK

I'm guessing our host is likely very well-travelled and very influential.

 Jim takes another sip from his goblet causing Spock to throw him a raised eyebrow.

KIRK

(shrugs)

It's growing on me.

 KOR  (O.S.)  

It courses through our blood, Captain.  The wine.  Like our vast assortment of  hatreds.  

It's what keeps us alive.  Vital. It's what makes us your blood enemies. 

Kirk and Spock turn as the Klingon Military officer, KOR, in luxuriant robes, pushes through the vegetation, emerging with a sly smile...

KIRK  

Commander Kor.  Why aren’t I surprised? 

KOR

Retired, sir.  I’ve taken up politics.  And, as you have no doubt noticed, your English tongue.

And not just English but Veddy Propah British English…

  KOR  (continuing; drinks from goblet)  

Both are rather beneath me, of course.  Although the  Ancient Earth  transmissions of your BBC are …

most amusing.  That odd fellow, Olivier?  The way he enunciates… though he slaughters Shakespeare.

KIRK

Well, your language skills have improved, Kor, even if you ambassadorial spacemanship’s a lost cause.

KOR

You mean, I no longer grunt like some beast of burden — as your reports to your Starfleet Masters described?

SPOCK

(to  Kirk) 

You didn’t.

KIRK  

I did.  Why’d your fellow barbarians make minced meat of our Organia Treaty, Kor?

KOR  

It was as much an affront to me personally as to the noble accomplishment we steered into being--

KIRK

Yeah, well, me, you, and a race of hyper-evolved super beings that exist- - existed - - as

balls of glowing off-the-charts energy who'd have turned you, me as well as the

Federation and your Empire into piles of ash unless we played nice.  Can't forget them.

KOR

Those monsters?  Well, good riddance and rest in peace, as your kind say.

(beat; smiles)

Peace..... peace....  Peace at last between our peoples,  I had assumed that

that was the sort of thing you would appreciate and even desire.  And I believe - -

I am certain - - that you and I can still make that ours. You and I.

KIRK

(puts on a clearly pretend naive smile)

Working together? 

SPOCK

>> _speaks in Klingon_ <<

To the astonishment of both Kirk and Kor.... 

SPOCK  (continuing)

(a hard level stare at Kor)

“And you will your enemy from how he reads the glyph K’qlaa.” 

Klingons mark no difference at all between liar and mortal enemy.

KOR

Gentlemen!  Did I not order my flagship to save that of the mighty Federation, the magnificent

USS Enterprise, you two and your stalwart crew - -

KIRK

About that ship a yours - -   Mr.Spock and my weapons expert agree

that it is years beyond where your kind is, technologically.

KOR

Your weapons expert?  Ah!  The female with the golden hair.

Kirk takes an angry step toward Kor but Spock intercedes with a light touch to Jim's arm

SPOCK 

Jim.

KIRK

(to Kor)

Yes, that's her.  And she asked me to ask you if that monstrosity of yours is

also armed with protomatter torpedoes?

KOR

So serious so soon, Jim?  I may call you Jim?

KIRK  
No.  You can't.

Kor laughs appreciatively....

KOR

And you two used to be such entertaining, enterprising young men!

He laughs even more heartily and at great length.

Kirk joins in, with phony good-nature...

KIRK

Sonuvabitch....

(sotto to Spock)

Help me out here.

And so Spock does.  He joins in with a make-belief laugh that is most unconvincing....

KOR

Captain Kirk!   And his loyal Vulcan.... Dine with me!  I welcome you to my family's most erstwhile Estate,

 _Kor Qu'atti Vahdi-Rahm_!

 

INT.  KLINGON PAGODA - DIING HALL   - DAY (TWILIGHT)

A group of ape-isn aliens, playing unusual drums and finger-cymbals, provide distinctly Klingonii MUSIC....

Kirk, Spock and Kor at a low table as another team of serving girls pass them wide plates of undercooked qu'aab....

Kirk's game, takes a wing and a haunch....

KOR

 My fortunes have taken an unfortunate turn.  I am no longer respected or particularly

feared in those Imperial strategy rooms of any consequence.

KIRK

What, you wear out your unique charm or something? 

KOR

(ignores the remark)

Destroying the Organians removed the last obstacle the currently favored few had to domination

in this arm of the galaxy - - that is once they've reduced your Federation to rubble with an 

unbelievable arsenal that you correctly observed is far beyond us. And you. 

That's got Jim's attention.  He sits up a little as a way of suggesting Kor continue...

KOR

When all is said and done, there won't be much of your Federation leftnat all.

KIRK

If this is all you got as a bluff,  Kor, then I'm gonna have to call.

KOR

(genuinely confused)

I don't underst--

KIRK

Lay your cards on the table.

Even if he's still confused by the specifics, Kor gets Kirk's gist and lays it out plainly with cold Klingon cruelty....

KOR

By the time we allow you to surrender all that will remain of the Federation will be agricultural

colonies like Kitus and Omicron Ceti, and your dilithium mining operations on Ditallix and Sherman's 

Planet.  And likely that so-called pleasure planet, Risa?  We'll likely take a few thousand of your Earth 

females as well as prizes for warriors and the wealthy.  Your golden haired beauty will fetch quite a prize.

Jim remains a rock.  We can tell he'd like to beat Kor to a pulp, but he just gives the Klingon a "don't fuck with me" stare....

KOR  (continuing)

Your Federation, Captain Kirk, will barely be considered a mere resource-heavy fiefdom given to some wealthy 

 _Ha'DlbaH._  Of course, it - - this victory - - will also mean the end of our Empire.

Kirk and Spock exchange glances as Kor downs a long draft of wine.

KIRK

I'm taking a guess but despite all of your poetry, you're not speaking in metaphors.

Kor takes a moment, almost smiles....

KOR

My kind have little inclination let alone patience for "metaphor."

SPOCK

(to Kor)

Correct me if I am in error - - 

KOR  
I suspect you rarely ever are, Vulcanian.

SPOCK

(considers)

That is largely true.

Kor smiles  - - that fierce, tiger's smile of his - - and nods for Spock to continue.

 SPOCK

You are suggesting your Empire is threatened by this alleged cache of unusual weaponry

that will allow you to defeat the combined forces of the Federation, including Starfleet?

KOR

Our sense of power, in which we hold such pride and in which we have come to invest so much,

the thing that drives us, will find those very weapons impossible to simply lay aside with your

defeat.  The destruction necessary for our sense of Imperium, of absolute domination of this arm

of the galaxy - - and possibly beyond - - will be incalculable.... something my kind simply cannot

and will not be able to afford.  Both literally and - -

(that fierce smile aims at Kirk)        

metaphorically.

KIRK

Civil war?  That's something your... people have a talent for, if I've read what little history you've

made known correctly.

KOR

Yes.  And no.  Not a civil war as you Earthers understand it, one side against another. It will be

exponential.

SPOCK

What you call an Empire is more a collection of over a dozen tribes, for lack of the precise term, 

held together by an overriding belief of social, military and even racial superiority.  

If this arsenal is as vast and sophisticated as you suggest - - 

KIRK

Then its a round of just deserts.  You destroy us  then its Klingon _HoH neH SoHDaq_.

Kirk  makes a cutting gesture with his thumb across his throat.

Kor nods at Kirk, suitably impressed.

SPOCK

But how have your armed forces come into possession of such an arsenal if not

from the weapons makers - -  the Orions, the Jikariis - - with whom your government

deals a startling large percentile of your gross Imperial product?

A serving girl offers Spock a wide plate covered in _joQ k'hevl - -_ like massive pork ribs covered in bubbling golden gravy.

SPOCK (continuing)

(kindly to the serving girl)

Thank you, no.

KOR

 Serve the Vulcanian a helping of Atik’Katha broth, young lovely.  With that Tellarite spies

eyes as garnish.  That'll teach the swine.

Kor’s smile is devilish…

KIRK

You remind me of a kid I went through Command training with, Kor, boy named Finnegan.  Out of New York City. 

Proud old Black Irish family.  Son of a bitch had it in for me from day one.  Said I was “too purty fer Cap’n.”  

See, he had this put-on Irish accent.  But with me, and my family background, he talked to me, and only me,   

In what we'd call  pure Cowboy.  Proud of his practical jokes, too, Finnegan.

KOR

Ha!  How do you think I became a lord if not as a bad joke on Chancellor Chang by his kin!

KIRK

They weren't all that imaginative, his jokes. It was just- -  when you’d wake up with a bowl of stew in your

bed so the girl you got with who stood him up the night before thought you were so damn drunk you

lost some internal self-control.  Finnegan always got the last laugh.  Except once.  At the end, when I got the Enterprise

and he got desk duty.  The fast lane to nowhere.  Q-Z Administrator  on the Sivi border planet Helios Nexti.

Spock studies Kor… the barest reaction…

KIRK (continuing)

 You know Helios, Kor?

KOR

(his face is stone)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Of course.  I gave the order.

KIRK

And I pulled what was left of Lieutenant  Jeffrey Finnegan from that steel box your Siv'iachy stooges kept him in for pretty much

your entire occupation, in the heat of Red Giant, Erebos. Six weeks drinking Helotian bat piss.  After you’d used that mind sifter

of yours on him, the torture weapon you first threatened me with at Organia.  And you want me to take you at your word?

Spock levels his gaze on his Captain…

SPOCK

(carefully)

Captain, I dislike having to point this out- -

KIRK

(interrupts; knows where Spock's going)

Then don't, Commander.

SPOCK

Where does the trust begin, Jim?  The stakes, our civilization and his, are potentially too high this time

otherwise.

KOR

That is, if I am telling the truth?

SPOCK

(to Kirk)

If it might be more palatable, think of it as a gamble.  And you and I - - and, I suspect, Lieutenant

Marcus and even Bela Oxmyx - - know of your preternatural luck with taking a gamble.

Kirk looks at Spock - - a look that acknowledges, much to Jim's annoyance, Spock is right.  Again.

KOR

If.... if.... So many "ifs"....  "If you can dream and not make dreams your master; if you can think and

not make thoughts your aim;  If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster- -"

KIRK

(interrupting; roughly continues the quote)

"And treat those two imposters just the same; if you can bear to hear the truth you've

spoken, Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools..."

KOR

I am not proposing open arms, Captain James Tiberius Kirk, son of fabled hero Commander George Dennis Kirk. 

Simply a balance of power that will hold my "people" together - - at the throats of yours.

And provide you, personally, with a destiny you never thought possible.

Kirk and Spock share a look... 

KIRK

Destiny, huh?

(to Kor)

How come I feel like you're dealing from the bottom of the deck?

KOR

(fights off some reluctance)

There are complications afoot. The technology your Vulcanian's inquiry hinted at....  Where it comes

from.....

CUT TO:

INT.  KOR'S PAGODA - MEDITATION GARDEN AND BRIDGE - DAY  (ETERNAL TWILIGHT)

A rock garden on a stretch of black sand with a turbulent stream of steamy red water winding through.  

Kirk and Spock are led by Kor over an elaborately carved wooden bridge looking across Kor's devastated asteroid exile separated from them by a blue-tinged energy shield that alights as  meteoroids pelt it.

KOR

We Klingons do not believe in a Heaven or a Hell. as you do, Kirk. No God.  No Devil. 

And I'm afraid Vulcanian culture, such as it is, has never held any interest.

SPOCK  
Just as well. Vulcan "metaphysics," as our human allies refer to it, would be a little too complicated for you, sir.

Kor's seriousness breaks for a moment, with a barking laugh, and a rough SLAP to Spock's back.

KOR  
(to Kirk)  
You got one of the funny ones!

KIRK  
I don't believe in Heaven or a Hell, Kor. In fact, pretty much most of the human race has

grown up and given up that kind of thinking. As well as militarism, imperialism,

totalitarianism. But you see, unlike your mentally impaired race, we humans also allow

for people to believe in what they.... believe. That includes all kinds of religions

and spirituality as well as very rich ancient mythologies- -

KOR

Then what is it you believe in, Kirk?

KIRK

Me, Kor?   I believe you've got a death wish if you try to pick up

a showgirl on Virgo.  I believe the Ruler of Kyphus Otirelis was really murdered by

his sister's sister-brother's mother's _Kalig._ I believe the Patriots stole the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth

Superbowl .  That season belonged to the Martians.  And I believe that if you refer to Commander Spock

as "my Vulcanian" or even think of mentioning my very lethal weapons officer again, I'm goona

knock you back to the Klinz'hai Rift.  
 

Kor's taken all this in - - closely. His response : an unreadable, tight-lipped smile.

KOR  
Mythology. Klingon history and culture - - and we are a single, united, very strong culture - - is very rich. And bloody.

Of course, the current Chancellory - -as well as the three before it - - has both rewritten history, censored and

erased all extant recordings that detail our mythology. Or they allow bits and pieces into our arts; pieces that - - with

sanctioned alterations - - will serve the current government's policies.

Kirk and Spock share non-plussed looks.

KOR  
But there's one basic, somewhat raggedy, irrational line of thought that is so ancient it runs with our wine and our hatreds through  
our bodies' bones and blood. They are the fabled twin planets - – Qi'Ituu, the Father of Creation, and Qui'Itix, the Mother of Destruction.

KIRK  

You’re an ecclesiastic romantic, Kor.  Who’d have though that?

KOR

And, James, you’re one of those Earthers that hungers for desolate places.  The galaxy - - space - -is a star desert. 

We Klingons seek riches. Of every kind. But I have become an impoverished river to my Family, reconciled to

banishment on this sickly spinning rock as my Empire makes self-defeating war against your kind. 

True power is Qu'Itix - - a power we can share together, you and I. Warriors.  It will be glorious!

 

(TO BE CONTINUED)

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
